2015 Western Cape fire season
| 2015 Western Cape fire season | |
|---|---|
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A aerial view of 2015 fires on the hills above Muizenberg.
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| Location | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Statistics | |
| Cost | >R11 million (ZAR, 2015) |
| Date(s) | February 2015 - April 2015 (SAST) |
| Burned area | Over 11 800 ha |
| Cause | Arson,lightning |
| Land use | Agriculture |
| Buildings destroyed |
13 |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Injuries | 56 |
The 2015 Cape wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned across the Western Cape from February to April 2015. Major fires burned across the Cape Peninsula starting on 1 March in Muizenberg and burning until 9 March, when firefighters extinguished it. The fire resulted in 1 death, 56 injuries, over 6,900 hectares (17,000 acres) of burnt land, and 13 damaged properties, of which 3 were destroyed. The cause of the fire was later determined to be arson. There were also major fires near Wellington and Porteville starting in February, which claimed the lives of 3 firefighters and a fire in Stellenbosch that caused the evacuation of the University of Stellenbosch and burned over 2,900 hectares (7,200 acres) of land.
The Muizenberg fire ignited in the afternoon on 1 March. The fire burned through the night and was brought under control until 2am the next morning, when it flared up again. By noon, 52 people had been treated for smoke inhalation, a firefighter had been treated for burn wounds and 2 bungalows and 5 homes had been destroyed. A number of buildings were evacuated, including 10 homes, a retirement village in Muizenberg and an old-age home in Noordhoek. The fire was being fought by a spotter plane, 2 fixed-wing water bombers, 4 helicopters, 18 support vehicles, 28 firefighting vehicles, 50 Working on Fire ground crew and 97 city firefighters.Chapman's Peak Drive and parts of Ou Kaapse Weg had been closed due to the fire. Damage to these roads lead to the Cape Town Cycle Tour being shortened to avoid them. The fire was reportedly being fueled by strong winds and burning towards. A South African Navy base was under risk of burning. By the third day of the Muizenberg fire, flames had spread to Noordhoek, Lakeside and Hout Bay.
The Hout Bay fire spread from the Muizenberg fire by 3 March and burned for 3 days. The fire was fought by members of the National Sea Rescue Institute, 8 Working on Fire volunteers and 15 SANParks firefighters, firefighting helicopters, and residents and staff of the Tierboskloof suburb. A number of firefighters were transported up the mountains by helicopter to extinguish flames that were inaccessible by foot. The fire was brought under control on 6 March by 3am and heat sensing equipment was used to find any hot areas that could flare up again.
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Wikipedia