fires

Turkey wildfires: Despair and questions as forests burn

INTERNATIONAL Turkey’s southern coastline is burning. On the wooded hills of Antalya’s Manavgat district, plumes of thick smoke appear in the sky one after another as each time a forest fire is brought under control, another seems to ignite. A blood-red sun shines through the sallow haze and as visibility[…]

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Study reveals shack fires move at devastating speed

A research experiment has been conducted by the Fire Engineering Research Unit at Stellenbosch University (FireSUN) in collaboration with the Western Cape Disaster Management, Fire and Rescue Services and the Breede Valley Municipality (BVM) fire department in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh to determine how to reduce the impact[…]

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Overnight rain brings relief in the Overberg area

Overnight rain has brought some relief to firefighters battling the blaze in the Overberg area in the Western Cape. An immediate evacuation order was issued for the Franskraal area on Friday, after three fires flared up once again. The fire reportedly jumped across the road and spread towards Mooiuitsig. The[…]

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Metrorail operating at 52 per cent

Metrorail has voiced concern over recent fires and vandalism of its train carriages that has left the rail service operating at 52 per cent capacity, severely impacting service delivery for the already embattled rail network. In the latest incident at the weekend, the City’s Fire and Rescue Services responded to[…]

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Conditions ‘were ripe’ for Knysna fires

A spark was all that was needed for a massive fire which left seven people dead in Knysna to rage out of control as conditions were ideal, said Knysna chief fire services officer Colin Manuel on Monday. Presenting his investigation into the causes of the fire that led to the[…]

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GOTG lends a hand to save Knysna’s bees

Not entirely satisfied with tackling the gravity of the human impact of last week’s disastrous fires in Knysna, the Gift of the Givers (GOTG) will now work towards rehabilitating the Cape Bee.  The massive fires in the Southern Cape wrecked claimed the lives of seven people, and destroyed homes, businesses,[…]

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Cape fires and storms may cost insurers in excess of R4bn

Losses caused by Western Cape fires and storms could cost the insurance industry in excess of R3 billion to R4 billion‚ outstripping the costs of previous disasters and leading to higher insurance premiums in affected areas‚ said Old Mutual Insure. On Friday‚ the death toll from severe weather and fires[…]

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Devastating Knysna fires yet to be contained

Following devastating scenes of Knysna residents watching their town be engulfed in raging flames and the town being officially declared a disaster zone, the fire is yet to be contained. This while helicopters are preparing to start water bombing hot spots in Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and other Garden Route areas.[…]

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Relief NGOs scramble to assist Knysna fire

Humanitarian organisations from around the country are scrambling to assist with relief operations in Knysna, which has been left devastated by a massive fire. The Knysna Muslim Council (KMC) has opened up the doors of its salah khana to residents of Hornlee, affected by the fires that have ravaged parts of[…]

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