A hectic weekend for fire services in the Drakenstein area

Safety, Uncategorized

Yesterday, again a madhouse in the private DFW Fire & Rescue NPC controlroom.

4 fires in 2 hours, scattered across the valley. All reported by DFW members and responders and pin spotted by long-range zoom cameras from the Old Du Toitskloof Pass Mountains

Paarl, 15th February 2026

The first fire was at a Farm on the Sonstraal Road. A hefty battle ensued by DFW teams and drama was prevented.

The second one was at Paarl North, farm fields and forrest alight. DFW cruisers and CWDM responded.
Third fire, Paarl South, Simondium area and the 4th fire waa a flare-up at Sonstraal road again.

Each time the DFW controlroom and DFW commander need to weigh options of legalities, membership, responsibilities, availability of resources and try to have contact with ” their colleques” Drakenstein Fire or CWDM fire services, depending if it is a field or forrest fire or if it contains a structural risk or structural involvement.

The DFW unforrunately does not have direct ” comms” with any of the other entities, which, if they did have, could positively add to the outcome of any response.

What the DFW has, however, is contact via its private radio system with hundreds of members, who are the ears and, most importantly, the eyes in the field.

Once a fire gets reported, the authorities respond, but is it sufficient, as often under windy conditions or when there is a large fuel load, the situation deteriorates or changes with other dynamics in minutes.

A field fire suddenly turns into a structural fire, and the dynamics require another approach or additional vehicles or trucks. The DFW can handle both.

Time gets lost by ” not knowing” and in a growing fire, minutes make the difference and determine the outcome for hours to come and likewise the damage.

The DFW is proud of its radio network and many WhatsApp groups, connecting the dots and updating as new info comes in and then get sent to the DFW responders.

In the coming days, temperatures will soar even higher…let’s hope we all can keep up the quality of the needed response to the hundreds of DFW members for when they are in trouble and threatened by fire..

DFW Fire & Rescue npc
084 752 8120 ( also whatsapp)
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