While most Stellenbosch University (SU) students are focused on lectures and upcoming exams, a dedicated group of 13 volunteers are living a double life. Known as the “mountain goats,” these students serve as frontline wildfire responders with the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS), balancing the rigors of academic life with the life-or-death intensity of firefighting.
Across the Western Cape, these Maties don their yellow and blue uniforms to protect the province from some of the most devastating blazes in recent history.
The Specialized Role of the VWS
The VWS is the largest volunteer firefighting organization in South Africa, specializing in terrain where traditional fire trucks cannot go. These students aren’t just spraying water from a distance; they are hand-tool specialists who hike into inaccessible mountain peaks to beat back flames manually.
- Inaccessible Terrain: Crews often hike for hours to reach peaks that even helicopters struggle to access.
- The Gear: Each volunteer shoulders roughly 10kg of equipment, including specialized hand tools.
- The Training: Every winter, volunteers undergo grueling physical, practical, and theoretical assessments to qualify for the fire season.
Frontline Adrenaline: Stories from the Fire Line
For these students, the adrenaline rush comes with significant risk. The “mountain goats” have faced harrowing moments where split-second decisions were the only thing standing between them and disaster.
- The Wall of Fire: Dario Consani (BA Sports Science) recalls a terrifying night in Bredasdorp where a 10-metre wall of flame surrounded the town. “Standing there watching this wall of fire come towards you was super scary. You feel very vulnerable,” he says.
- Narrow Escapes: Engineering student Zach Ambrose remembers a backburn in Elgin shifting suddenly, nearly swallowing his team’s vehicle. Only the quick thinking of experienced crew leaders saved them with seconds to spare.
The Ultimate Balancing Act: Exams vs. Emergencies
Perhaps the greatest challenge for these volunteers is the mental shift between a quiet classroom and a roaring fire line. Fire season does not respect the university’s academic calendar, often leading to difficult choices.
“Many of the wildfire callouts were at very inconvenient times, such as on days when I had assessments,” says Kate Cotterell, a third-year electrical and electronic engineering student.
Despite the lack of sleep—sometimes getting only two hours before a morning lecture—and the heavy time consumption, the students remain committed. For Liam Proctor (BSc Human Life Sciences), the sacrifice is worth it. “When an emergency happens, we run towards it. We follow the sirens,” he explains.
A Call for Community Support
The VWS operates entirely on a volunteer basis. These students receive no salary, and the organization relies heavily on donations to fund fuel, specialized equipment, and vehicles.
- Safety First: In 25 years of operation, the VWS has maintained a record of zero fatalities or serious injuries, thanks to rigorous safety standards.
- Join the Ranks: The “mountain goats” are actively encouraging fellow Maties to join, noting that the VWS needs more than just frontline fighters—it needs dispatchers, drivers, and logistics experts too.
