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Glencairn and Simonstown Firewise at Navy Festival
Warning Sent to Owner of Erf 1
Dear Neighbour
Further to earlier communication – the following is a copy of the warning sent to the owner of Erf 1 from the Glencairn Fire Watch regarding the extreme fire risk that his overgrown property poses for the residents of Glencairn valley
Glencairn Fire Watch
c/o 23 Glen alpine Road
Welcome Glen
7975
Telephone: 021 781 0942
Email: glencairnfirewatch@gmail.com
23 March 2011
Martin Kelly
Cape Town Coastal Properties Pty Ltd
32 Cockburn Close
Simon’s Town 7975
Dear Sir,
Further to: Alien Vegetation Fire Hazard – Erf 1, Simon’s Town
On 9th of February 2011, we sent you a letter regarding the serious threat to the lives and property of Glencairn residents from the heavy infestation of invasive alien plants species that has been allowed to develop on your property, Erf 1, Simon’s Town. We informed you of our concern that there is a very real threat of a runaway fire crossing from your land into the adjacent suburb at this time of year. We offered to meet with you or a representative to discuss the problem
To date, we have had no reply from yourself, nor from any of your representatives. We are therefore left with no alternative but to take the legal route to support efforts to have the land cleared at your expense and for you to be compelled to comply with all aspects of the Fire Safety regulations in terms of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act and municipal fire safety bylaws.
We further give formal notice that you will be held directly responsible by our community should a fire break out in the interim and cross over from your property, if the land has not been adequately cleared and the required fire precautions (as per the national Veld and Forest Fire Act and other regulations) are not in place, (i.e. firebreaks, management plan, standby firefighting team etc.). In such an event we would not hesitate to lay charges against you directly in your personal capacity for criminal negligence and would also support any civil action against you and/or your company(s) for damages, should any of our residents suffer loss as a result.
Yours faithfully,
Clare Roy
Chairperson
Glencairn Fire Watch
Fire Alert
Press releases from City Council 
Posted on 09/04/2011 by 
admin
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
MEDIA RELEASE
07 APRIL 2011
Gusting south-easterly winds continue: fire danger warning for Cape Metropole
The South African Weather Service has forecast that the gale force south-easterly winds (35kt or 65km/h) will persist for the remainder of the day between Table Bay and Cape Agulhas.
This morning the Weather Office issued an additional warning of a high veld fire danger rating across the Cape Metropole.
The current weather conditions for the Cape Metropole are cloudy and cool. For the weekend high temperatures between the high 20’s and 30’s are forecast.
The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre and Fire and Rescue Service are accordingly advising the public to take precautions against wind damage and to be alert about fire safety.
These conditions are favourable for runaway fires that could easily become major blazes.
”The risk of fires spreading in informal settlements is extremely high in these conditions – residents should ensure that domestic cooking fires and heating or lighting devices are placed in safe and secure places” says the City’s Chief Fire Officer, Ian Schnetler.
FIRE SAFETY WITH REGARD TO STRUCTURAL FIRES
- Every home should have more than one exit to ensure escape if a fire breaks out.
- Informal homes should be built at least three metres apart to stop fires from spreading.
- Keep matches, lighters, paraffin and poisons out of reach of young children.
- Use child-proof caps on flammable products such as paraffin.
- Extinguish all candles and lamps before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Avoid smoking in bed – it is dangerous.
- Keep stoves on a flat surface away from drafts and flammable objects.
- Never leave fires and cooking stoves unattended.
- Always keep a bucket of sand and a bucket of water handy, in case a fire breaks out.
- Switch off all electrical appliances when not in use.
- Do not overload plug points.
- Do not sleep with heaters switched on.
The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre is appealing to residents to take the following measures to prevent wind damage:
- Install straps or additional clips to your roof to secure it to the frame structure, in order to prevent roof damage.
- Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed
- Determine how and where to secure your boat
- Protect windows and doors with covers
- Reinforce double entry doors
- Reinforce or replace damaged garage doors
- Secure metal siding and metal roofs
- Secure built-up and single-ply roofs
- Brace gable-end roof framing
- Ensure adequate insurance cover for possible storm damage
- Motorists must watch out for fallen trees/branches and broken power lines along roads
- Exercise extreme caution in mountain areas
“It is important to secure your property by affixing permanent wind shutters, which offer the best protection for windows, or utilising boarding,” said Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Acting Head: Disaster Risk Management Centre.
The fire danger warning for the Cape Metropole will be enforced for today and the general public are requested to apply fire safe practices.
Solomons-Johannes appealed to the general public to heed to the public advisory issued and to listen to the radio or watch television news for the latest weather forecast.
Any emergency and/or distress call can be reported to the 107 emergency number from a Telkom line. Cellphone users need to dial 021 480 7700. The sooner you phone, the sooner
Fire Threat to Glencairn Homes from Erf 1
Erf 1 consists of most of the land between the firebreak on the south side of the Glencairn valley and the top of mountain ridge. It stretches from the Southern Right Hotel almost as far as Welcome Glen. It is a huge neglected property that is highly overgrown with alien invasive vegetation such as Port Jacksons and Hakea. These plants burn with far greater intensity than the indigenous Cape fynbos. Sooner or later this huge fuel load of massed vegetation is going to be set on alight and a devastating wildfire will threaten many homes in Glencairn. If a strong wind is blowing it could rapidly spread into the suburb and destroy houses and threaten lives.
Glencairn Fire Watch has sent a registered a letter to the owner, Mr Kelly, with a copy to his local representative , requesting that a meeting is held with Glencairn residents to find a practical solution to this serious threat to life and property.
It is now over a month and the response so far has been NIL.
See copy of the letter attached below -
9 February 2011
Martin Kelly
Cape Town Coastal Properties Pty Ltd
32 Cockburn Close
Simon’s Town 7975
Dear Sir,
Concerns regarding Alien Vegetation Fire Hazard – Erf 1, Simon’s Town
I am writing to you on behalf of the Glencairn Fire Watch (GFW), a community committee mandated by the Simon’ Town Community Police Sector 1 Sub-Forum, which incorporates all the Neighbourhood Watches in the Greater Glencairn Valley. The GFW deals with all matters relating to fire risk in the Valley and is currently in the process of seeking formal Working on Fire, FireWise status for the Greater Glencairn Valley. Information on this initiative can be found on the web at http://www.firewisesa.org.za/firewise_communities.php.
We note with some concern that your property, Erf No 1, Simon’s Town, is heavily infested with mature alien invasive plant species, which form a considerable fire risk to suburban properties in the Glencairn valley. Such infestations are, as I am sure you are aware, in contravention of the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA). We are also concerned with the management of this growth in terms of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act, firebreaks and fire management plans.
We, therefore, request a meeting with you or someone appointed to speak on your behalf, relatively urgently to discuss our concerns. The urgency stems from the fact that we are currently experiencing very dry and high wind summer conditions. These conditions lend themselves to high fire risk. In view of this urgency, we would like to request this meeting within the next two weeks and ask that you consider our request as soon as possible.
Assuring you of our desire for co-operation at all times,
Yours faithfully,
Clare Roy
Chairperson
Glencairn Fire Watch
The following is an extract from the March STCA newsletter -
Erf 1 Fire Risk
A meeting was held with the City of Cape Town (CoCT) at the end of February to address the fire risk on Erf 1, on the mountain behind Glencairn. CoCT with assistance from Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) are looking into widening fire breaks as a first step which can be acted on quickly. CoCT are then to serve Notice on the owner to clear these under their Fire bylaws. Notice is to be served by mid-March and allows the owner 15 days to take action. In the longer term, CoCT are looking into assets held by the owner in South Africa and, if sufficient, will clear the land themselves and recover their costs from his assets – assuming that he continues to ignore all Notices. This would take up to 5 years to implement from both legal and practical view points. TMNP would assist in this and in the best scenario, would take over the land.
City of Cape Town Heat Wave/Fire Warning
his information contained in this media release is, we believe. of relevance to communities and organisations in South Peninsula. Please would you share it with, via your own distribution lists or as and item in any regular communication you might have.
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
MEDIA RELEASE
28 FEBRUARY 2011
City warns Capetonians and visitors of heat wave conditions
The City of Cape Town appeals to the public to exercise caution, after the South African Weather Services issued a warning of high temperatures and strong south-easterly winds that are conducive to runaway veld fires.
Temperatures of up to 37° Celsius have been forecast for today and high temperatures will persists for the remainder of the week.
The public are reminded to drink sufficient water; try to stay in a cool place; and to cover their heads when going out.
Tourists visiting Cape Town who are not acclimatised to the heat are asked to take extra precautions. They could suffer from swelling of the ankles, inflammation of the skin, sharp pains due to loss of water, dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and fainting.
The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre is offering the following tips during the heat wave conditions:
- Wear sunglasses – choose sunglasses that offer at least 95% UV protection with a lens tint that blocks 80% of transmissible light.
- Wear UV blocking contact lenses alongside sunglasses – UV contact lenses can help protect against the transmission of harmful UV rays to the cornea and inner eye.
- Use sunscreen on all exposed areas. Feet should also be included if you are bare-foot or wearing sandals or flip-flops. A sun protection factor (SPF) of 45+ is recommended. Always re-apply after leaving the water as the sun screen may have washed off.
- Wear protective clothing, including hats, and use large umbrellas to keep out of the sun. Long-sleeved cotton shirts are excellent for outdoor sports such as hiking and cycling.
- Reduce time spent in the sun between 10:00 and 15:00. In extremely hot weather conditions it is advisable to stay indoors during this time of the day if possible.
- Do not lie in the sun purposefully seeking a tan. If you want to tan, do it gradually and sensibly, with short exposure and a build up over time.
- Pay close attention to any medications (including herbal remedies) because many of them have side-effects which include sun sensitivity.
- Drink plenty of water. Water is the best liquid for hydration during a heat wave.
- Never leave children unattended, especially outside.
- Never leave children or pets unattended in motor vehicles.
- Take care of animals and pets – they should not be directly exposed to the sun.
- Be aware of the dangers of heat exhaustion.
- Stay indoors in the coolest room of your home as much as possible and splash your face with cold water to cool down.
- Keep rooms cool by using shade cloth or reflective material on the outside of the window.
- If it is safe to do so, open windows at night when the air is cooler.
- Cyclists are encouraged not to cycle as they can sustain heat-stroke and cardiac problems.
For up-to-date weather reports listen to alerts on the radio and television, or visit www.weathersa.co.za, or call the weatherline at 082 162.
The City appeals to the public to refrain from throwing cigarette butts out of motor vehicle windows. This is often the cause of runaway fires, especially in hot and windy conditions.
Fires for cooking should not be made unless they can be controlled. No fires are allowed on the mountain fringe areas except in pre-authorised and specifically demarcated areas. If you are unsure whether fires are allowed in an area, do not make a fire there.
Any emergency and/or distress call can be reported to the 107 emergency hotline from a Telkom line while cellphone users need to dial 021 480 7700. The sooner you phone, the sooner help will arrive.
End
Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town
Media enquiries: Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, Head: Systems Integration & Special Projects, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town, Tel: 080 911 4357 or Cell: 084 711 7709
Charlotte Powell, Head: Public Awareness & Preparedness, Disaster Risk Management Centre, City of Cape Town, Tel: 080 911 4357 or Cell: 084 711 7710
Removal of Alien Vegetation at Southern right Hotel
Sent: 24 February 2011 11:25 PM
Cc: ‘Grete Hollenbach, Southern Right Hotel’
Subject: [Greater Glencairn Valley N Watch] Removal of alien vegetation – Southern Right Hotel
Dear Neighbour,
The Southern Right Hotel have asked that I circulate a notice warning local residents that they will be carrying out alien vegetation clearance around the Hotel site. This will unavoidably involve some noise from chain saws, rippers etc.
The chipped wood is to be donated to GEESE for use on footpaths.
The Hotel apologises in advance for the noise
Regards
Geoff
Thursday 17th Feb – Kommetjie Road Fire
Dear Neighbour,
Has anyone got any information about the fire on Thursday that ran through the tall gum trees beside Kommetjie Road, opposite the Ocean View Police Station? There have been three recent bush fires in the area around Ocean View. These seem to have been fairly quickly and efficiently brought under control by the Fire services. But why a sudden outbreak of fires in the vicinity of Ocean View? Is this just coincidence or do we possibly have an arsonist at work here?
Steve
Extreme Fire Hazard
This says it all
When the Fire Breaks Out – Where Will You Be?
Consider:
In the event of a wildfire breaking out in or near your neighbourhood, events will race forward very, very fast. So for peace of mind, you need to prepare yourself as far as possible beforehand . It happened here before (in 2000) when many of us in Glencairn had to evacuate our homes at short notice. Fire came back to Glencairn in 2004 and then tragically destroyed several homes in Scarborough in 2008. Parts of Simonstown had similar experiences. Make no mistake, wildfires will certainly strike our communities again before too long, considering the overgrown state of the mountainsides around us.
How will you get up to date information to assess the immediate risk to your own home, when the inevitable fire sweeps in? Are you prepared with contact phone numbers, so that in an emergency, you are able to call a neighbour to help evacuate your kids and pets – or make sure that granny isn’t left alone and forgotten in the garden flat?
This should be a special concern to anyone who is away from home during the day and might be at a considerable distance, when the fire comes blazing in to threaten their home and family.
GLENCAIRN BURNING IN YEAR 2000 - photo from Cape Argus
The answer :
Have your own fire emergency plan in place beforehand and discuss it with the entire family, more than once during the fire season. An evacuation procedure is the most important part – this would include having a prepared list of valuables and documents for the family to take away and a note to make sure to close all doors and windows before leaving (to prevent sparks and embers entering), and directions for wetting wooden decks and filling gutters with water (if time allows).
But most importantly, get to know your immediate neighbours really well and discuss your plans and your family’s special needs with them and make sure you exchange telephone and cellphone numbers. Remember to keep these numbers with you at all times. If evacuated, let everyone know when you are safe – or someone might become endangered searching for you.
Please also take the trouble to register your cellphone with Cape Cell Alert, as you will then get direct warnings and up-to-date fire information from across the neighbourhood. And please support the efforts to set up a Firewise Community in your area as this will help to reduce your personal fire risk before the evil day arrives.
Visit CAPE OF FIRE - for Useful Information About Alien Vegetation and Fire Prevention
and www.capecellalert.co.za for details of joining Cape Cell Alert
GENERAL EMERGENCY (FIRE)
| Cape Town Emergency | 021 480 7700 or 107 |
| Fish Hoek Emergency: | 021 782 0333 021 782 0444 021 782 0555 |
| Fire Brigade, Control Centre | 021 590 1900 |
