Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) celebrated the inauguration of its new Grabouw firebase on Saturday. The base was originally housed in the Elgin Valley but was moved “down the mountain” last year, to the Helderberg Nature Reserve, where the City of Cape Town’s Biodiversity Directorate built a new base. Although the base was only recently completed, the VWS has deployed from it’s new home since December last year, to fires in Betty’s Bay, Van der Stel’s Pass and Franschhoek.
The VWS yellow family and guests, inaugurate the new VWS Grabouw firebase at Helderberg Nature Reserve, just in time for the upcoming fire season, which starts on November 1. Picture Carolyn Frost
Owen and Hayley-May Wittridge and Heidi and Richard Newton-King of neighbouring Kingskloof Farm. Picture Carolyn Frost
Nicky Ernstzen, VWS South Peninsula firefighter Tansy Pyatt, and biodiversity regional manager, Roy Ernstzen. Picture Carolyn Frost
Long standing VWS Grabouw members, Ina and Fanus van Nierkerk, cut the yellow ribbon to officially open the new base. Picture Carolyn Frost
Bolander correspondent, Norman McFarlane, who is also a volunteer firefighter, and his wife, Eppie, celebrate the opening of the new base.
