A raging fire on Paarl Mountain in December has again sparked concern about the alien vegetation which grows in groves on the slopes of the mountain, especially on the central slopes. And this is exactly were the latest fire and previous devastating fires also were ignited.
The fire started above the Voortrekker Camp above Kloof Street, and quickly spread due to strong winds.
But thanks to the rapid efforts of for example the Drakenstein Farms Watch fire fighting teams and fire fighting helicopters, the fire was contained before any properties could be damaged.
In 2009 an almost week-long fire caused havoc in Paarl with many houses having to be evacuated on the slopes of the mountain as well as farmers sustaining crop damage.
That fire was started almost in exactly the same place as the latest fire by vagrants living on the mountain.
And although the Drakenstein Municipality has regulations in place for the eradication of alien vegetation, also being able to enforce this on private land-owners, it will seem as if no real efforts are being made to enforce this, and the mountain is just becoming more and more populated with aliens.
Municipal Director of Community Services, Gerald Esau, however, this week said that the Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services earlier issued notices to landowners in the Paarl Mountain area to clear infestations and to reduce fuel loads.
He also said that in the meanwhile the Municipality continues with its alien clearing eradication plan to address the very dense alien vegetation at Kloof Street.
This plan includes:
. Various wood contractors clearing blocks from the top of Meulwater and the water stream on Paarl Mountain; and. Two contractors cleared invasive trees from the bottom of Kloof Street till the end of November, including the area adjacent to the Alphorex and Morgenson farms, where contractors removed large pine trees. Invasive clearing operations will start from April 2022.
The Municipality is also continuing with firebreak maintenance from Klein Reservoir to Kloof Street (behind the residential area). This included the Lemoenkloof firebreak. Municipal teams have cleared firebreaks at Bellevue Street and Klein Reservoir (to Bo-Bosman Street) and Foxglove/Lang Street area.
Further clearing of firebreaks will continue along the reserve’s internal firebreaks and the western boundary, Esau said.
