Tough job for a fire chief
2009-03-12
Lise Beyers
WHILE fire-fighters were trying to douse the blaze on the slopes of Paarl Mountain on Wednesday evening, a fire broke out in an informal settlement in Mbekweni. This was just one of the obstacles which Dereck Peceur, operational chief of Drakenstein Fire Department, had to face when Paarl Mountain started to burn. The terrain where the fire started was almost inaccessible to the fire-trucks, and was too far to reach from Jan Phillips Drive. As the fire raged out of control and headed towards the mountain road, fire-fighters were unable to withstand the heat of the blazing trees and could not prevent the fire from jumping the road. “Also, when we were on our way up the slopes of the mountain, we found that the gate of the service road on the mountain was locked. Here we were delayed for a short while, while we hooked the gate to a vehicle to force it open. “Our entire available work-force was summoned to the site, but shortly after this, half of them had to withdraw to fight a fire in Mbekweni. Here 25 shacks were razed to the ground, and many more would have been if we had delayed our arrival. “Human lives are a priority to us. These crews were only able to return to the mountain blaze at 02:00 on Thursday morning. “Because of the very dry and hot circumstances, the fire raged out of control almost from the start.” The alien trees amongst which the fire started, fueled the fire. Blackwattle trees tend to explode when burning, shooting burning twigs as far as 100 metres. Pine and bluegum trees burn at an excessive temperature, which makes them very difficult to approach. “The wind direction changed all the time, igniting the fire again where it was just extinguished. “Eventually the blaze turned into a logistical nightmare when it was out of control. The area that it covered was also widespread and our manpower was limited.” At the height of the fire, Peceur had only 80 fire-fighters at his disposal, and nine vehicles. “The availability of the helicopters and services of other fire departments were limited because of other fires in the surrounding areas such as Jonkershoek.” Apart from the fire on the mountain, Peceur had to put out fires on the home front as well. “Everybody on the edge of the mountain who feared that their homes were in danger, wanted our sole attention there and then. Unfortunately we were not able to be everywhere, and one home is not more important than the next. “Often we would arrive at a property after an emergency call, only to find that the flames were still 100 metres away from the house. The spotter-plane which was continuously in the air, was in contact with us all the time to point out the hot-spots. “Our work force worked around the clock for almost one hundred hours. “At the end of it all, no homes burnt down, and this is proof of our commitment to the community. “I would also like to thank the members of the public who continuously helped, as well as for the refreshments which were given to my men.” And after having only had six hours of sleep between Wed- nesday evening and Monday morning, and speaking with a hoarse voice from smoke inhalation, Peceur is trying to take some time out. “But the mountain still has to be monitored for any flare-ups. We cannot sleep yet.
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