Working on Fire aerial resources have contributed to halting 110 fires from spreading during the 2022/23 fire season.
In December alone, the combined ground and aerial resources have been instrumental in combating and extinguishing 36 fires.
According to its spokesperson, Limakatso Khalianyane, ground crews were dispatched 118 times.
The environmental protection organisation described the start to the fire season in the Western Cape as extremely busy and had anticipated increased activity due to abnormal weather patterns influenced by El Niño, the warming of the ocean surface or above-average sea surface temperatures.
“The season was characterised by frequent rainfall. The aerial resources in December 2023 flew for over 600 hours, executing nearly 6 000 water drops, totalling millions litres of water.
“Notably, at the Castle Rock Fire that ignited in Simon’s Town and persisted for almost a week, aerial resources dropped over 4 million litres of water, accumulating 1 100 flight hours to bring the fire under control,” said Khalianyane.
She said the 2022/23 aerial resources, comprising spotter planes, Huey choppers and Air Tractor bombers, invested 647 hours in water-bombing operations.
Working on Fire has formed a number of partnerships, including with Cape Nature, the City of Cape Town, municipalities and fire protection associations.
General manager Antoinette Jini hailed the dedication of the teams and pilots involved in fighting the fires in December.
“Despite the challenges posed by the fire season coinciding with the holiday period, their commitment to protecting residents and ensuring their safety during the festive season has been commendable,” said Jini.
Cape Times