The recent fire on Devils Peak has stripped the slopes of their stabilising vegetation, which means that there is a real possibility of flooding and mudslides in the suburbs directly below.

When it rains heavily, loose ash, and other fire debris may be washed off the slopes into the streams, and then into the intakes and pipes, causing blockages of stormwater drains and roads. Private property can be damaged and municipal services can be disrupted, as has happened many times before and after winter rains in recently burned areas.

The City of Cape Town, together with South African National Parks, has prepared plans to reduce the possibility of flooding and to respond to emergencies should they arise this winter. For example, all stormwater drainage facilities below the burned areas are being cleaned to limit the possibility of blockages and flooding. In addition, the burned slopes have been examined and various measures have been taken, such as the building of gabion weirs in the stream courses to intercept debris and slow the water flow down the slopes. Nevertheless, mudslides may still occur, and the Disaster Risk Management Centre recommends the following measures to protect against possible mudslides:

• Check that the private drainage facilities on your property are in good working order
• Irrigate a band of about 10m of land above your boundary to encourage the plants to re-grow
• Check for dead and burned trees that could fall onto your property, and notify the authorities if there is any danger
• Place sandbags where necessary to protect critical areas
• If your neighbour’s boundary walls are diverting mountain slope stream runoffs onto your property, bring this to their attention, as it is illegal If your property is threatened by severe flooding or debris, select a route for it to flow through (such as a pathway, or stairs) so that it causes the the least damage and use sandbags to try and confine the flow to that route
• Check the terms of your insurance policy with regard to mud damage