Cape's burning issue

The Western Cape is experiencing its worst fire season in seven years.

The fires have displaced 7200 people and cost millions of rands, while posing a serious threat to the environment.

The season lasts from October to April and authorities have blamed hot weather and negligence for the spike.

Working on Fire spokeswoman Liesl Brink said 500 firefighters from other provinces were on standby to assist their Western Cape counterparts.

"The high number of fires currently experienced in the Western Cape follows the worst fire season in seven years recorded in the northern parts of South Africa," she said.

City of Cape Town fire spokes-man Theo Layne said the municipality had responded to 7949 incidents - already more than double the 3456 of last season.

JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security, said people displaced by fires were offered a starter kit of wood, doors and windows to rebuild their shacks.

Phillip Prins, of Table Mountain National Park, said the park had overshot its aerial fire-fighting budget.

"We usually... estimate for about 30 to 35 hours of flying time. This year we have more than doubled that already," said Prins.

The park had flown for 85 hours at a cost of R1.7-million.

"The last two years it was actually quiet. We didn't have that many fires. Climate change could be a factor."

Prins added that negligence by visitors and vagrants was the biggest cause of fires.

Tony Marshall, integrated catchment manager at CapeNature, said although some plants needed fire for procreation, the biggest challenge was controlling the flames.

The city responded to 4338 vegetation fires between December 1 and January 4.

Yesterday, 40 firefighters and three helicopters tried to extinguish a blaze at Kluitjieskraal, between Tulbagh and Ceres.

And 100 people were displaced in Elfindale informal settlement when a fire gutted 20 shacks.