Cape Town is bracing for the upcoming fire season, with the City urging residents to take extra precautions after four structures were destroyed in two separate fires on Tuesday.

Firefighters first responded to a blaze in Woodstock.

Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says crews were called to the fire in Douglas Street just before 6am.

“We received the call at 05:54, of structures alight in Douglas Street. Crews from Salt River, Epping and Roeland Street Fire Stations were on scene. By 06:55, the fire was extinguished, but destroyed three makeshift structures.”

Carelse says no injuries were reported.

In the second incident, a storage facility was damaged when a fire tore through a structure in Seventh Avenue, Grassy Park.

“Crews from Wynberg, Lakeside and Constantia Fire Stations were on scene. By 13:00, the fire was extinguished, but destroyed a single informal structure that was used for storage. No injuries were reported and the cause is unknown.”

With the fire season approaching, Carelse is calling on residents to be Firewise and take the necessary steps to prevent fires from spreading.

“It is critical that everyone remains alert to the risks of fire at all times and know that basic fire safety is a joint responsibility. It is important to keep matches and lighters out of reach of children, cut candles in half to prevent them from falling over. Do not smoke in bed. Familiarise yourself with how to use a fire extinguisher. It is also important to know that if you don’t have one, you can use sand to help contain the fire.”

Carelse says residents should also have an escape plan in place so that everyone knows what to do and where to go if a fire breaks out.

He says being prepared can help save lives when a fire hits your home or neighbourhood.