mazambaan Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Terrible devastation but as a sometime farmer you have to ask; how do we stop this happening again? From limited experience I have a few comments: Firebreaks; maybe don't fit into the natural environment but then you must take widespread fires on the chin. These breaks could incorporate mtb trails Take vagrants (and reports thereof) seriously. These can easily start a fire, not even maliciously.Fire surveillance; fire watch (and security) or cameras and computer software.
Lone_Ranger Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Terrible devastation but as a sometime farmer you have to ask; how do we stop this happening again? From limited experience I have a few comments: Firebreaks; maybe don't fit into the natural environment but then you must take widespread fires on the chin. These breaks could incorporate mtb trails Take vagrants (and reports thereof) seriously. These can easily start a fire, not even maliciously.Fire surveillance; fire watch (and security) or cameras and computer software. What ever happened to the fire breaks? As a kid I remember there being a clear fire break above the last line of houses on the mountains. This used to be visible all over the mountains, particularly in the Southern Peninsula (Fish Hoek, Noordhoek area). This would go a long way to slowing down these fires, thereby (possibly??) making them a bit more controllable.
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 What ever happened to the fire breaks? As a kid I remember there being a clear fire break above the last line of houses on the mountains. This used to be visible all over the mountains, particularly in the Southern Peninsula (Fish Hoek, Noordhoek area). This would go a long way to slowing down these fires, thereby (possibly??) making them a bit more controllable.They were rendered useless. The wind was fanning the flames so hard they just jumped the breaks. Case in point - when it jumped Ou Kaaps. That's the best fire break you'll get but it was as useless as a diabetic quality controller at Cadburys.
Tubeless Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Some pics of what it looks like around the trails?
GoLefty!! Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 No, it will be opened. "Indefinitely" just means that the time cannot be defined at the moment .It would have been better to say "until further notice" In the short term, the fire roads will be the first to reopen. This will likely be in the next few months but I suspect more likely after the winter after whatever mudslides are waiting to happened have got the pent up energy out of their system. Single tracks reconstruction are going to be determined by what fynbos springs up from the ashes and where. Then there is also the removal of the dying Pines to be considered. Do they do this with Winter approaching or after the rains....? tough call
Donovan Le Cok Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Wow, so sad. I have been riding in Tokai since 1998 this is so devastating. Thank you to the guys that have been managing the situation. We will stay out for as long as is needed. The thread mentions that Silvermine South is still open to MTB. Would that be Ou Wa Pad then?
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 In the short term, the fire roads will be the first to reopen. This will likely be in the next few months but I suspect more likely after the winter after whatever mudslides are waiting to happened have got the pent up energy out of their system. Single tracks reconstruction are going to be determined by what fynbos springs up from the ashes and where. Then there is also the removal of the dying Pines to be considered. Do they do this with Winter approaching or after the rains....? tough callItalic: Maybe, but we are going to be in discussion with them about this so it's not a certainty at this point. It may fit into their plans for the place, but then again it may not. We just have to wait and see, unfortunately. Bold: Probably determined over the next few days/weeks. I suspect (personally) that it'll be sooner rather than later.
Flowta Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 What ever happened to the fire breaks? As a kid I remember there being a clear fire break above the last line of houses on the mountains. This used to be visible all over the mountains, particularly in the Southern Peninsula (Fish Hoek, Noordhoek area). This would go a long way to slowing down these fires, thereby (possibly??) making them a bit more controllable. No maintenance, that's what happened to them.
Flowta Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 I hate to think what the area around our caves looks likeAll those wonderful yellowood trees,walkways etc apart from the fynbos Echo Valley and Spes Bona must be devastated.I would not go into the caves for a while.All the snakes etc would have taken refuge there I heard a guy on Cape Talk this morning. He went for a hike up Spes Bona, etc. and was pleasantly surprised that the yellowwoods and even the boardwalk were unscathed
Flowta Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 I live over the mountain in Bokkemanskloof (along the pipetrackfrom Constantia Nek) In November SANParks did some alien "clearing" in the Overkloof area (also along the pipetrack). Their idea of clearing is to cut and leave the dead trees. This has been drying out nicely and is right next to a Bluegum plantation. Would SANParks be liable should a it add to the fire and property is damaged?
sakkiebomskok Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Shame really feel for all the animals etc that get caught in these fires Wouldn't it be karma if those animals with the pangas would maybe suffer this fate
sakkiebomskok Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 I live over the mountain in Bokkemanskloof (along the pipetrackfrom Constantia Nek) In November SANParks did some alien "clearing" in the Overkloof area (also along the pipetrack). Their idea of clearing is to cut and leave the dead trees. This has been drying out nicely and is right next to a Bluegum plantation. Would SANParks be liable should a it add to the fire and property is damaged? DSCF4476 (Large).JPG DSCF4477 (Large).JPG DSCF4507 (Large).JPGMy dad's a fireman. He complains about this issue all the time. Slapgat werk! Now he has finish what someone else could not care to do. Really pushes(the Naas botha version) my buttons
paul_ct Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Gavin (?) Bell on Cape Talk spoke about the coming winter winds and rains making Tokai too dangerous to open for the public.
Flowta Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 Gavin (?) Bell on Cape Talk spoke about the coming winter winds and rains making Tokai too dangerous to open for the public.Didn't hear the interview but I understand he was also making excuses about the prescribed burns that were supposed to happen but didn't
paul_ct Posted March 9, 2015 Posted March 9, 2015 He was saying they plan burns for 20 years after the last burns and that there is only a very small window (a few days) for safely burning veld so only a small area had been burned in the last while. The younger veld had little effect on this fire. He didn't say whether a more extensive burn would have slowed the fire in any way. I hope I've correctly understood what I heard.
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