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Author: Marillia Veldkornet

07 February 2022 Impact Based Warning: Veld Fire Conditions

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape as follows:

Hazard: Veld Fire Conditions
Alert Level: FDI above 75
Affected Municipalities: Beaufort West, Cederberg, Hantam, Kannaland, Karoo Hoogland, Laingsburg, Oudtshoorn, Prince Albert, Witzenberg
Valid From (SAST): 07/02/22 – 01h00
Valid To (SAST): 08/02/22 – 19h00

Discussion: The warm temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds could result in the development of runaway and veld/bush fires.

Impact: Conditions are such that the FDI index is above 75. Under these conditions fires may develop and spread rapidly resulting in damage to property and possible loss of human and/or animal life.

Instruction: Fire teams, labour and equipment are to be placed on stand-by. A first sign of smoke, every possible measure should be taken in order to bring the fire under control in the shortest possible time.

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Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

02 February 2022 Impact Based Warning: Level 2 Disruptive Rain

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape as follows:

Hazard: Disruptive Rain Yellow
Alert Level: Level 2 (High likelihood of minor impacts)
Affected Municipalities: Beaufort West, Bitou, George, Hantam, Kannaland, Karoo Hoogland, Khâi-Ma, Knysna, Laingsburg, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Prince Albert
Valid From (SAST): 02/02/22 – 03h00
Valid To (SAST): 02/02/22 – 23h00

Discussion: Rain and thundershowers are expected from mid-morning persisting until the evening. Rainfall accumulation of 15-30mm are expected with up to 50mm in pockets within the cloud band are possible; some showers can have a quick and heavy downpour (15-20mm/h). The lightning associated with the thundershowers might cause some impacts.

Impact: Localised flooding/flash flooding of susceptible formal/informal settlements and roads may occur which can affect major routes contributing to longer travel times together with reduced visibility and slippery roads can also cause minor vehicle accidents. Isolated events of lightning can contribute to localised service disruption due to power surges.

Instruction: In buildings, move valuables to a safe place above the expected flood level. Switch off electricity at the supply point to the building. Be especially cautious at night when it’s harder to recognize flood dangers when driving. Listen to the radio or TV for warnings and obey the instructions from disaster management officers.
_________________________________________
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

02 February 2022 Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality Once Again Celebrating World Wetlands Day on 02 February

Garden Route District Municipality Once Again Celebrating World Wetlands Day on 02 February

For immediate release
2 February 2022

Today, 2 of February 2022, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is once again celebrating the World Wetlands Day. World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually and aims to raise awareness globally about the vital role of wetlands for humans and the entire world’s eco-system.

A significant number of wetlands can be found throughout the Garden Route, including one protected under the Ramsar Convention. The internationally known Wilderness Lakes Ramsar Site falls within the Garden Route National Park, covering an area of 1 300 hectares and includes estuarine lakes of Rondevlei, Langvlei and Eilandvlei, the Serpentine channel, and a dune system. A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention; an intergovernmental environmental treaty established in 1971 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The treaty provides for national action and international cooperation to conserve wetlands and to use their resources in a sustainable manner.

The wetlands within the Garden Route are considered to be high-value ecological infrastructure. They provide vital habitat for flora and fauna, which forms part of a larger critical ecosystem to the environment. These include flood attenuation, water filtration, erosion control and water storage (regulatory services), as well as food provision, supply of raw materials and clean drinking water (provisioning services). The wetlands within the municipal boundaries also play a pivotal role in disaster risk management, as well as reducing the impacts of climate change.

Dr Nina Viljoen, Head of Environmental Management at GRDM said: “Within the Garden Route however, a significant number of the wetlands are under threat, or have already been lost. This is largely due to historical degradation, deliberate draining of wetlands to make way for development and agriculture, inappropriate development within the close proximity to the wetlands, poorly regulated agricultural practices, contamination through chemical, sewage, effluent and stormwater seeps, sedimentation, water abstraction and the spread of invasive alien plants”.In light of this, Dr Viljoen added that there is an urgent need to increase awareness of wetland importance and to incorporate natural wetland resource considerations into municipal governance mechanisms and planning. She emphasised: “Careful management, and investing in the maintenance of healthy wetlands, as well as the rehabilitation and restoration of damaged or degraded wetlands, are needed. This will ensure the continued provision of these vital ecosystem services to the municipality”.

GRDM Wetlands Strategy (2017-2022)

The GRDM developed a Wetlands Strategy (2017-2022) in collaboration with, and support from, the Local Action for Biodiversity: Wetlands South Africa (LAB: Wetlands SA) programme, and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, Africa Secretariat (ICLEI AS). Through the development of this Strategy, gaps in the support of wetland management within the district were identified, and improved wetland management strategies were therefore incorporated within the Strategy.

The GRDM Disaster Risk Assessment (2020-2021)

The GRDM recognises that wetlands are of immense value, especially when it comes to disaster risk reduction.  According to a GRDM Disaster Risk Assessment (2020-2021), wetlands have the ability to contribute towards disaster risk reduction by means of its flood attenuation, water filtration and related water security functions. These functions are also extremely important in climate change adaptation, and needs to be conserved in order to assist in the mitigation of future climate change risks. The GRDM therefore seeks to enhance the conservation and management of the districts’ natural wetland resources. This is done by integrating biodiversity issues into its local government support, planning and decision-making processes.

As part of its disaster risk assessment, the GRDM identified a high flood risk in the coastal and lagoon areas of the district, particularly during the winter months. This impact is worsened by increasingly degraded wetlands.

According to the GRDM Climate Change Report (2018), most wetlands are classified as either ‘moderately modified’ (between 25% and 75% of the wetland land cover is natural) or ‘heavily to critically modified’ (less than 25% of the wetland land cover is natural).  Wetlands within the district therefore face a significant number of threats, all of which have the ability to either destroy the wetland entirely, or severely compromise function and provision of ecosystem services.

In order to conserve wetlands in the Garden Route, and to reduce the number of threats they are facing, Dr Viljoen said: “The GRDM, its local municipalities within its area of jurisdiction, as well as all the stakeholders, need to adapt to a ‘new normal’. The complex interactions between society and wetland ecosystems need to be approached in an integrated way, she added”.

It is essential to increase the monitoring and regulation of new environmental authorisation applications that will impact wetlands. Through this, sustainability projects will be identified that will benefit the neighboring communities to identify community upliftment opportunities and products/services for sustainable wetland use. This will allow the prioritisation of wetlands and the implementation of innovative and internationally-used approaches to help reach sustainability goals and objectives. It is essential that the municipalities within the Garden Route district compile the best available spatial information on wetlands for inclusion in their Spatial Development Frameworks (SDF’s), as well as to include wetland management within their Integrated Development Plans (IDP’s).

The following related GRDM documents can be accessed on its website:

ENDS

01 February 2022 Media Release – GRDM and stakeholders to install smoke detectors in Qolweni, Bitou

Media Release – GRDM and stakeholders to install smoke detectors in Qolweni, Bitou

For immediate release
01 February 2022

Early detection of home fires is critical in preventing deaths and injuries. These fires can smoulder for some time before bursting into flames, releasing deadly toxic gases. This is why the majority of fire-related deaths are associated with suffocation. Smoke disorientates people or incapacitates them so quickly that they cannot escape, in particular while sleeping. Studies have shown that the smell of smoke does not wake people up. However, if a potential fire is detected during the smouldering stage, it can reduce the risk of suffocating and provide enough time for people to escape a property.

Photo: Bitou Municipality

For these reasons, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) in collaboration with Bitou Local Municipality and the Provincial Disaster Management Centre have initiated an innovative smoke alarm installation programme for high fire risk areas. The first roll-out will be for communities of Qolweni, a township in Plettenberg Bay.

Smoke detectors or smoke alarms, as we know them, is a device that senses smoke and issue an audible or visual alarm from the detector itself  to indicate a fire.

The project aims to:

– Reduce fire deaths, injuries and property losses;

– Educate residents about the importance of installing and maintaining smoke alarms;

– Assist residents to develop and practice an effective home fire escape plans;

– Assist municipalities in meeting its legislative requirements under the Municipal Structures Act, Disaster Management and Fire Brigade Services Act;

– And it would create improved community relations between the residents and municipal fire departments.

Gerhard Otto, Manager for Disaster Management at GRDM, said: “To commence with the project, GRDM together with its stakeholders will appoint a team to install the detectors. Also, training and awareness will be provided during the installation of the smoke alarms within the community”.

The launch of the project is envisaged to take place in February this year.

ENDS

Feature Image: Western Cape Government

28 January 2021 Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality’s role in Heavy Motor Vehicle & Hazardous Materials Incidents

On Thursday, 27 January 2022, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Fire Services responded to a heavy vehicle incident on the N2 highway. The scene involved a truck that lost control and overturned, resulting in oil leaking from it. This posed a high risk of oil spreading towards a close-by drain that leads to the Maalgate River.

The GRDM team was requested to assist George Municipality Fire and Rescue Services who initially responded to the incident.

Deon Stoffels, Acting Fire Chief Officer, said:  “After preventing the oil from spreading further the crew ensured that no fire ignited”.

The GRDM firefighters also restored the road to its former standards and ensured a safe road surface.

Legislation; i.e. The National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998 (NEMA) guides and its purpose is among other, to provide for co-operative environmental governance. This requires those responding to incidents, to establish principles for decision making on matters affecting the environment. Of particular importance is Section 30 for the control of incidents involving hazardous substances that could have a detrimental impact on the environment. This is a measure that gives effect to the provisions of Section 24 of the Constitution, regarding the protection of the environment.

Did you know?

Accident scenes are difficult to ignore and are in numerous cases a disturbance to motorists passing the scene. Many accident scenes are taking place near other accident scenes, merely because motorists were not paying attention to the road ahead and only focused on the emergency personnel attending to the accident scene. Passing motorists are therefore advised to adhere to the following:

  1. Observe changes in the traffic pattern around a given accident scene.
  2. Look for emergency personnel directing traffic.
  3. When directed to stop, do so immediately.
  4. Proceed through the scene slowly.
  5. Look for signs indicating what you should do.
  6. Be vigilant of personnel walking on the scene.
  7. Be vigilant of emergency vehicles arriving and exiting the accident scene.
  8. Do not disregard the instructions of emergency personnel.
  9. Remain calm and avoid stepping out of your vehicle.
  10. Keep doors and windows closed, to avoid inhaling in the fumes.
  11. Avoid smoking or attempting to light a cigarette or disposing of flammable goods (deodorant, acetone, paint, methanol, etc.).

ENDS

21 January 2022 Tourism Promotion – Garden Route boasts Sparkling Coastlines

The Garden Route’s nearly 300km long beaches stretch from the whitest sandy beaches of Witsand, past the sky-blue waters of Plettenberg Bay, ending at Natures Valley. Known for offering a safe destination, the Garden Route is a preferred destination for families, adventure-seekers and beach-goers, to name a few.

Coastal municipalities boast twenty blue flag beaches offering locals and tourists quality water and clean public facilities. Numerous coves and lagoons, as well as untouched indigenous forests, can be seen along the N2 from east to west.

Amagene Koeberg, Garden Route District Municipality’s Tourism Coordinator, says that offshore there is the possibility to see Southern Right Whales, dolphins, and great white sharks.

“Come and explore the Garden Route, you will surely become a returning visitor of our area,” said Koeberg.

Visit the Garden Route and Klein Karoo (GRKK) website at www.visitgardenrouteandkleinkaroo.com or go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/grandkk and learn more about what our area has to offer.