700 firefighters on standby for Western Cape summer fire season

As the Western Cape prepares for the imminent summer fire season, Working on Fire (WoF) has announced that 700 of its firefighters will be on standby to assist across the province.

This comes just days after World Fire Safety Day and follows three separate fires in Cape Town over the past two weeks.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) said its teams are currently undergoing crucial refresher training. They will soon be strategically deployed across the Western Cape, including in National Parks and CapeNature conservation areas.

WoF spokesperson Linton Rensburg said the teams will also be working closely with local municipalities and the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, providing essential manpower and equipment.

"Our firefighters have been provided with all the necessary equipment, but importantly also, our vehicles," Rensburg said. "A number of them will be coming down to the Western Cape from our winter fire season provinces also over the next couple of weeks."