Capetonians and Visitors Warned of Heat Wave and Gusting Winds This Week

The City of Cape Town appeals to the public to exercise caution, after the South African Weather Services predicted a heat wave and gale-force South-Easterly winds in the Cape metropole for the greater part of this week. These conditions are particularly conducive to runaway fires and wind damage. The City has placed all of its emergency response teams on high-alert.

Temperatures of up to thirty-four degrees (34°) Celsius are expected in parts of the metropole and 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.

During a heat wave, you should:

• 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.
• Listen to alerts on the radio and television for up-to-date weather reports.

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. Further, any fires for cooking should not be made unless they can be controlled. No fires are allowed on the mountain fringe areas except in specifically demarcated and pre-authorised areas. If you are unsure whether fires are allowed in an area, do not make a fire there.

The City's Fire and Rescue Services section will have full-time fire-fighters working on a twenty-four (24) hour shift basis on standby at its twenty-nine (29) fire stations across the city, while an additional one hundred and sixteen (116) seasonal fire-fighters are available to assist with bush and vegetation fires.

A heavy-duty Kamov helicopter which is contracted to the City, and two (2) medium helicopters which are contracted to Table Mountain National Park, are available to assist with aerial fire-fighting. The City also has access to four (4) fixed-wing water bombers which have been made available by the Provincial Government if required.

The public is urged to heed fire warnings and apply these fire safety tips:

• Every home should have more than one exit to ensure escape if a fire breaks out.
• Keep ignition sources (such as matches and lighters) and paraffin and poisons out of the reach of children.
• Use childproof 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 they are not in use.
• Do not overload plug points.
• Do not discard burning cigarettes from your car - this is one of the major causes of vegetation fires.
• Ensure that fire hydrants remain unobstructed, especially by parked vehicles.
• Ensure that your braai fire is completely extinguished before leaving the designated areas where they are allowed.

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.

Issued by:
Communication Department
City of Cape Town