The City of Ekurhuleni advises citizens to handle flames for cooking and heating in a safe manner and warns of winter-related fire occurrences.
When it’s cold outside, people are more likely to use open fires for cooking and warmth, such as braziers and wood burning, which can be fatal in unventilated areas.
Suffocation is possible due to the release of greenhouse gases from open fires, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which replace oxygen in the atmosphere.
One other major factor contributing to veld fires is the careless disposal of cigarette butts, mostly by drivers. Dry grass and windy conditions facilitate the quick development of fires, which can lead to property damage, cattle deaths, the destruction of natural vegetation, and, in severe cases, human fatalities.
Fires that are started negligently stretch the city’s emergency management resources unnecessarily, and deny the city’s customers quicker response time which increases the risk of loss, injuries and deaths.
In the event of a fire, residents are urged to contact 011 458 0911, the city’s emergency services number.
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