Cape Town - Capetonians should brace themselves for another heatwave coupled with strong south-easterly winds that pose a serious fire risk, the city council warned on Monday.
It said the weather services had forecast soaring temperatures for the rest of the week after the mercury was expected to hit 37°C on Monday.
The City's Disaster Risk Management Centre warned the public to keep hydrated, avoid sun exposure and stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day.
"Tourists visiting Cape Town who are not acclimatised to the heat are asked to take extra precautions.
"They could suffer from swelling of the ankles, inflammation of the skin, sharp pains due to loss of water, dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and fainting," it added.
The centre urged motorists not to throw cigarette butts from their car windows as this was a frequent cause of runaway fires in hot windy conditions.
Fires would not be allowed on the fringes of Table Mountain, except in specially demarcated areas.
The public was asked to stay clear of areas where helicopters fighting blazes fill their heli-buckets because the large crowds that often converge to watch the aircraft could distract the pilots.
"The heli-buckets are very difficult manoeuvre and pilots must concentrate on the task at hand without distractions from curious onlookers."
Hot(1) I'm 200 km away from the city, and it feels like it's around 40 degrees here. Apparently it's the same all the way into the "Klein Karroo".
DRINK LOTS OF WATER PEOPLE! And no, whiskey in the water does NOT make it cooler!
Yes, it's still very hot here in G Bay but not as hot as yesterday. Accoding one weather source, we will have to wait until Thursday before it starts to cool down. The winds are stronger than what was forecast...........
I believe it's cooler in O'mund though
I'm just waiting for that late afternoon Oranjemund, cool mist to roll in over the town.....
The sun felt very strong today though....
Cape Town - The Cape Metropole, West Coast district and Cape winelands remained on "high alert" on Tuesday for veld fires because of weather conditions, said risk management officials.
"There are always fires in the Cape, but the weather conditions we are experiencing makes the risk higher," said Cape Town disaster risk management centre special projects head Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
He said a number of fires were reported on Monday and Tuesday, but these were mainly minor household fires.
"The disaster management teams are working closely with the fire department to control and monitor these fires," he said. "We are on full alert".
He said that particular care should be taken of small children and the elderly in the heatwave conditions.
It is still bloody hot as I post this! Hot(1)
Misty grey skies in Omund, humid though......
They reckon rain 2morrow....
are-you-there
Quote from: Bertie Horak on February 28, 2011, 01:05:38 PM
Hot(1) I'm 200 km away from the city, and it feels like it's around 40 degrees here. Apparently it's the same all the way into the "Klein Karroo".
DRINK LOTS OF WATER PEOPLE! And no, whiskey in the water does NOT make it cooler!
But it will taste better
BierSuip
image201 cheers