The number of overall incidents went up by 15%.

Ahead of International Firefighters Day on Saturday, the City of Cape Town said the summer period had proven to be one of the most challenging.

There were 20164 overall incidents from October last year to this April, compared to 17570 incidents in the same period.

The city recorded 10507 vegetation fires, 1335 informal residential fires and 1004 formal residential fires between last October and April this year.

Cape Town contracts two helicopters and a spotter plane as aerial support during summer.

“During the summer of 2022/23, the helicopters logged 68 hours and the spotter plane 38. Preliminary indications are that since 1 December 2023, the helicopters logged at least 280 hours, and the spotter plane 132 hours.”

City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith said the fire statistics confirmed that it was one of the busiest summer periods on record.

“While, the number of residential fires saw a slight decrease, it is cold comfort to those who lost loved ones and everything they owned. Throughout the challenges, our firefighters have stood tall, and I applaud their bravery and commitment. The city will continue to invest in our Fire and Rescue Service for the benefit of our residents, but also those wearing the uniform and working hard to help keep everyone safe.”

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The duo will be wearing their full firefighting gear, including their self-containing breathing apparatus (SCBA) which weighs 10kg.

This will be the third time the seasoned firefighters take on the race in their uniforms, and the second year that they are raising awareness and funds on behalf of the Volunteer Wildfire Service (VWS).

Last year, they raised R181000 for VWS.

Alderman JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security, expressed his gratitude to VWS and the pair.

“Jermaine and Renaldo have generated such goodwill and positivity with this initiative, and we are hoping for a similar outpouring of support this year. Cape Town has had one of the most extraordinary wildfire seasons in history, and it has pushed firefighting agencies to the limit. We would have been far worse off without the members of the Volunteer Wildfire Services, working side by side with career firefighters on the frontline, to protect lives and property.”

“The city is incredibly grateful to VWS, and we’re immensely proud of Jermaine and Renaldo for their efforts to drum up support for the organisation. I am confident that Capetonians will throw their weight behind our firefighters, and VWS,” he said.

VWS is a registered NGO that relies on public and corporate donations to cover its operating costs.

It costs at least R7 500 to train each volunteer firefighter, and equip them with basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Volunteers are required to purchase their own backpacks, fire boots, water and nutrition that is needed while fighting fires.

VWS CEO Claire Lötter said the biggest expense at the moment was vehicles, with the oldest being a 28-year-old Land Rover.

“You’ll see our bright yellow vehicle running around the mountain during times of disaster, ferrying eight volunteers at a time. The cost of maintaining our ageing fleet is draining our resources and we are desperately trying to reduce this burden. All of us at VWS are deeply appreciative of Jermaine and Renaldo’s selfless act of running this marathon again on our behalf to raise much needed funds. We will be there, both at the starting line and the finish line, to cheer them on,” she said.

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