Informal dwelling fires, 2009 - 2015, City of Cape Town

Abstract

This data collates fires of an "informal" nature obtained from the City of Cape Town Fire Incidence database (https://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/OpenDataPortal/DatasetDetail?DatasetName=Fire%20incidence). The dataset differs from the original in that: (1) only fires deemed to be informal in nature are included. This was established either through the categorisation of informal in the original data or where the description of what was burning included statements such as "wood and iron structures". The data is likely therefore to include both informal settlements as well as the so called "backyard dweller" where an informal structure is erected within a formal urban environment. (2) the number of structure affected are included as a separate field. This information was manually obtained through the original data's descriptive fields. (3) The location of the fire was reported in the original dataset as grid cells corresponding to a map reference used in the Cape Town book of maps, published by MapStudio. These grids (approximately 1 km x 1 km) are recorded as individual fields to allow for linking to GIS. It is acknowledged that this is not an accurate spatial method of capture since for some fires up to 6 map cells are given.

Fields: Date: The date of the fire Structures: Number of structures affected by the fire described in point (2) above. Callers_Statement: The statement as recorded in the original dataset and used to determine if structures affected were "informal". Grid1...Grid6: Map reference as described in point (3) above. Weather: Weather conditions as recorded in the original dataset. Wind: As recorded in the original dataset. Temperature: As recorded in the original dataset. What_was_burning: As recorded in the original dataset and used to determine the number of structures affected and if fire affected informal structures. Damage: As recorded in the original dataset and used to determine the number of structures affected and if fire affected informal structures.