Fires in South Africa
Fires in South Africa
10 February 2010
Fires in the Southern Cape of South Africa continue to burn.
The following MODIS scenes were taken on 10 February 2010: click on scenes for a 250m resolution. For fire fire danger information and situation updates please see below.
(Source: MODIS)
Fire Danger Index FDI forecast, 3 regions, Western Cape:
DAILY FORECAST:REPORT No 1
Overberg PROVINCE —– George AREA
10H30 FORECAST FOR 14H00 Wednesday 10 February 2010
14H00 FDI FORECAST40 Green
Today 10h00 Actual average observations Overberg Province George AreaTemp (C)Hum %W DirW Speed (km/h)Bar (Hpa)Rain (mm)FDI2457NW21015038 Green
Previous 6 Day 14h00 Actual average observations Overberg Province George AreaDayTemp (C)Hum (%)W DirWSpd (km/h)Bar (HPa)FDINo FiresTue 93444SSE5100958 Yellow0Mon 82762ESE18101749 Yellow0Sun 72751SE9101050 Yellow0Sat 62652SE8100448 Yellow0Fri 53048S6100654 Yellow0Thu 42373E15101841 Green0
6 Day 14h00 Weather Service Forecast Overberg Province George AreaDayTemp (C)Hum (%)W DirWSpd (km/h)Bar (Hpa)FDITendencyWed 102168SW31101648 Yellow – Thu 112361SE21101447 Yellow – Fri 122365W18101646 Yellow – Sat 132659W17101250 Yellow – Sun 142755C12100849 Yellow – Mon 152365C18101246 Yellow
DAILY FORECAST:REPORT No 1
Boland PROVINCE —– Tulbagh AREA
10H30 FORECAST FOR 14H00 Wednesday 10 February 2010
14H00 FDI FORECAST50 Yellow
Today 10h00 Actual average observations Boland Province Tulbagh AreaTemp (C)Hum %W DirW Speed (km/h)Bar (Hpa)Rain (mm)FDI2358SE31011035 Green
Previous 6 Day 14h00 Actual average observations Boland Province Tulbagh AreaDayTemp (C)Hum (%)W DirWSpd (km/h)Bar (HPa)FDINo FiresTue 94022W10100879 Red0Mon 83430S11101367 Orange0Sun 73135W13101060 Orange0Sat 63128WNW12100563 Orange0Fri 53331WNW11100765 Orange0Thu 43231S7101460 Orange0
6 Day 14h00 Weather Service Forecast Boland Province Tulbagh AreaDayTemp (C)Hum (%)W DirWSpd (km/h)Bar (Hpa)FDITendencyWed 102536SW16101655 Yellow – Thu 112831SW8101258 Yellow – Fri 123029SE12101661 Orange – Sat 133125NE12101264 Orange – Sun 143324NE10101067 Orange – Mon 153131NW17100866 Orange
DAILY FORECAST:REPORT No 1
Western Cape PROVINCE —– Fisantekraal AREA
10H30 FORECAST FOR 14H00 Wednesday 10 February 2010
14H00 FDI FORECAST35 Green
Today 10h00 Actual average observations Western Cape Province Fisantekraal AreaTemp (C)Hum %W DirW Speed (km/h)Bar (Hpa)Rain (mm)FDI2284NW71015125 Green
Previous 6 Day 14h00 Actual average observations Western Cape Province Fisantekraal AreaDayTemp (C)Hum (%)W DirWSpd (km/h)Bar (HPa)FDINo FiresTue 92951WNW13101154 Yellow0Mon 82859SSW12101645 Yellow0Sun 72459N17101348 Yellow0Sat 62553NNW15100749 Yellow1Fri 52558WNW15101047 Yellow1Thu 42744SW6101549 Yellow0
6 Day 14h00 Weather Service Forecast Western Cape Province Fisantekraal AreaDayTemp (C)Hum (%)W DirWSpd (km/h)Bar (Hpa)FDITendencyWed 102177NW16101635 Green – Thu 112355E14101245 Yellow – Fri 122755SE13101049 Yellow – Sat 132854SE12100850 Yellow – Sun 142949E10100853 Yellow – Mon 152365SW12101641 Green
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Fire update
10 February, 3:30pm
Rain eases fire-fight but its not over in Southern Cape
Welcome rain in the Southern Cape has eased but not ended the fight against several out-of-control wild fires the worst burning near Knysna.
Gerhard Otto, head of Disaster Management in the Southern Cape, said the focus now was on a fire near Homtini (Knysna) as it was racing towards farmland and buildings.
We are watching this fire closely. We have high fuel loads and very dry conditions in the Southern Cape and fires are getting dangerous very quickly.
The Phantom Pass fire at Knysna has been controlled.
At least 100 wild land fire fighters, some from Working on Fire teams from KwaZulu Natal and the Free State, are currently on the fire line at Homtini with more teams on stand-by to help out if the blaze threatens life and property.
A mountain fire burning in fynbos near Kommanasie is being monitored by 10 veld and forest fire fighters
Working on Fires Huey helicopters and the SANDF Oyrx helicopters, which have been airborne for almost five days, are grounded but on stand-by this afternoon as ground teams control the blazes.
The Haarlem (Uniondale) fire, which crested the Tsitsikamma Mountains last night threatening Keurbooms, has been controlled. Twenty fire fighters are monitoring the blaze.
A fire in Plettenberg Bay was controlled on Tuesday.
Otto said all open fires in the Southern Cape were no banned.
That means no braaiing at picnic spots, no agricultural burning, no rubbish burning. No fires. It is too dry and too dangerous, he stressed.
Southern Cape fire chief Annelize Lamprecht-Vertue said the Eden District Municipality was being assisted by CapeNature, SANParks, Mountain to Ocean Forestry, the Knysna Fire Department, the SANDF and Working on Fire. A Disaster Centre to co-ordinate the fire fight is operating in George.
Near Cape Town a fire burning in the Du Toits Kloof Mountains was controlled this morning while the blaze in Franschhoek, which destroyed a sawmill, cellar and other buildings, is in its sixth day.
Issued by HWB Communications Pty Ltd.
On Behalf of Working on Fire
Wednesday, 10 February, 8:30am
Fire fighters desperate for rain as Western Cape fires rage on
Cooler weather with a possibility of rain will give fire fighters in the Southern Cape and Franschhoek relief today after a week of devastating blazes.
An out-of-control wild fire is still burning at Phantom Pass near Knysna while a second blaze is out-of-control at Homtini Plaat also in the Knysna area.
At 8am today Gerhard Otto, Head of Disaster Management in the Southern Cape, said a Working on Fire spotter was in the air at first light to assess the fires.
A fire that has been burning near Haarlem (Uniondale) crested the Tsitsikamma Mountians during the night and is burning towards Keurbooms and The Crags. It is being monitored.
Leanne McKrill, WoF Western Cape spokesman, said cloud cover in the Southern Cape was heavy and the prospect of rain good.
A few drops have fallen this morning but nothing to put out a fire.
Southern Cape fire chief Annelize Lamprecht-Vertue said the Eden District Municipality was being assisted by CapeNature, SANParks, MTO Forestry, the Knysna Fire Department, the SANDF and Working on Fire. A Disaster Centre to co-ordinate the fire fight has been set up in George.
Yesterday six Working on Fire teams (179 fire fighters) from the Free State and KwaZulu Natal arrived in the area to relieve the teams on the fire line.
In Franschhoek fire fighters are in the sixth day of fighting a blaze that has destroyed a sawmill, cellar and other property. At 8am today three Working on Fire teams, from Tulbagh and Stellenbosch, were assisting CapeNature, the Cape Winelands District Municipality and several private contractors on the fireline.
A helicopter and one WoF team were diverted to a new fire near the Huguenot Tunnel in the Du Toitskloof
Issued by HWB Communications Pty Ltd.
On Behalf of Working on Fire
For more information please contact:
Evelyn Holtzhausen
HWB Communications
082 658 6007
Further information
