GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Working on Fire-Kishugu Joint Venture (WOF-Kishugu JV) in the Western Cape and the western region of the Eastern Cape is gearing up for the summer fire season.

The two provinces conducted annual Yellow Card Assessment Camps to prepare for the season, which begins on 1 December.

This training camp aims to prepare firefighters and other resources for the challenges of the coming fire season.

At least 300 firefighters from 14 bases in the Eastern Cape and a total of 756 from the Western Cape participated.

These young men and women implement Integrated Fire Management Solutions to mitigate wildfires. The firefighters undergo various activities, including a 10km route march, firewall exercises, a 2.4km run, push-ups and pull-ups.

Physically, mentally fit

These exercises ensure the firefighters are physically and mentally fit to battle blazes during the summer fire season.

Instructors from the Kishugu Training Academy in Mbombela have been sent to assess and evaluate the firefighters' readiness for the fire season.

Antoniette Jini, general manager of the WOF-Kishugu JV in the Western Cape, emphasised that firefighters will not be allowed to battle wildfires during the summer season without valid yellow cards.

"This assessment is not just a legal requirement, it's a critical process to ensure our firefighters are at their peak – physically, mentally, and tactically prepared for the challenging season ahead," she explained.

Wildfires remain one of the major threats to lives and livelihoods worldwide,
especially as they are intensified by climate change.

It is anticipated that this season will be busy due to dramatic temperature increases, which result in extreme weather patterns, such as heatwaves and the heightened intensity, frequency and spread of wildfires. 

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