Climate change driving unseasonable KZN fires – WOF
The Working on Fire
programme in KZN says it's prepared to tackle seasonal winter fires.
But the group says it's concerned about the number of informal settlement blazes that gutted hundreds of homes in Durban, and other parts of the province recently.
The organisation's Nompilo Zondi says they are devastated by the news.
"We continue to see community members dying and losing their livelihood and homes due to lack of knowledge in fire safety management of their homes. We still encourage the gospel of fire safety tips."
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu visited residents at the Dakota settlement in Isipingo on Wednesday to deliver hundreds of food vouchers to those who lost their homes in a fire last month.
Zondi says although the winter fire season officially starts in June, they've seen fires from as early as January due to climate change.
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"To date we have attended 21 fires in the province with April being the highest number of 11 fires attended by our team, especially in the coastal regions where we experience a lot of hot and windy weather. But we are seeing fires in areas where we don't usually see fires."
The country marks Fire Fighters Day on Thursday and Zondi has urged communities to form forums to help them learn about fire safety and how to respond to blazes.
"We know that we going to building we always see assembly points and we always see fire extinguishers. In communities we must also have an assembly point, knowing that if there is a fire in our neighbours what must we do or how can we help them? You must always have your emergency numbers."
