Experts sound alarm over Cape Town’s wildfire vulnerability

By Rachel Mohamed

Experts have raised concerns that Cape Town may experience devastating wildfires similar to those seen in Los Angeles, due to its comparable climate, mountainous terrain, and vegetation.

The city’s Fire and Rescue Service reported over 7,000 fires to date in the 2023/2024 financial year, emphasizing the ongoing risks.

The potential danger is highlighted by past tragedies, such as the 2017 Knysna fires, which claimed the lives of eight people, including two firefighters, and resulted in the destruction of 1,444 homes.

Speaking on VOC’s Breakfast Show, Dr. Peter Johnston, a climate scientist at the University of Cape Town (UCT), addressed the adverse weather conditions associated with climate change.

“Cape Town has a warm, dry summer and a winter rainfall pattern. If it continues to rain in the summer, that will dampen the vegetation. During summer, we experience strong winds, which contribute to the rapid spread of fires. This climate is quite similar to that of the Mediterranean region, which has comparable vegetation and, specifically here, a dense population,” explained Johnston.

“For example, fires are most likely to ignite in vegetated areas, particularly in Cape Town’s Table Mountain region,” he said.

Listen for the full interview:

VOC News
Photo: Pixabay

Picture of Aneeqa Du Plessis
Aneeqa Du Plessis

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