19 February 2009
The Western Cape nature conservation agency, CapeNature, will receive an
urgent boost of R2,5 million to assist with serious losses during the latest
devastating fire in the Cederberg Nature Reserve and to fight the wild veld
fires raging in the province this season, says provincial Minister of Local
Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Pierre Uys.
Due to the current extreme weather conditions together with a number of
destructive runaway wild veld fires that needed to be suppressed, strain has
been put on CapeNature's resources and additional funding is required.
The Western Cape provincial government already supports CapeNature's
operations to the tune of R92,15 million this year.
Additional trained and experienced working on fire teams from Mpumalanga and
the Free State were called in to assist the complement of 250 based in the
Western Cape, assisting CapeNature's staff in fighting fires. Some of the money
is needed for, amongst others, transport and daily provisions for these fresh
teams until the first effective rains fall after the dry season.
R1 million of the assistance packages are set aside to top up the exhausted
funds for aerial fire fighting. So far R2,3 million had been used.
The Cederberg reserve was particularly hard hit, which saw the destruction
of an office complex and provision stores at Algeria. Computer equipment is
needed to restore tourism and financial record keeping and communication.
Temporary office accommodation is needed, together with furniture as well as
equipment to fight fires (like an equipped bakkie, beaters and hand pumps),
replacement two-way radios with base unit and tools.
Independent wild fire investigators will also be appointed to determine the
cause and origin of fires as well as to evaluate whether the fire-fighting
actions were adequate and appropriate to improve responses to future
occurrences.
"The additional funding is done by the Department of Environmental Affairs
and Development Planning," says Minister Pierre Uys.
Further to this, the Department of Local Government has provided R1,7
million to municipalities (R425 000 to Cape Town and R225 000 per district
municipality) in support of aerial fire fighting for flying and stand-by time.
This will impact immensely to improve response times and in ensuring fires are
under control faster. Due to the large number of fires over the last month,
further assistance may be considered later.
Enquiries:
Cobus Grobler
Cell: 073 133 7299
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and
Development Planning, Western Cape Provincial Government
19 February 2009
