Related Content Garden Route battles against new infernos

A CONTINGENT of 179 firefighters from KwaZulu Natal and the Free State was dispatched to the Garden Route yesterday to help fight seven out-of-control veld and forest fires.

Eden Disaster Management head Gerhard Otto said firefighters battling blazes from Harlem in the east to Still Bay in the west were exhausted.

“We will have to continue until our reinforcements arrive tomorrow morning (today), so it’s tough but we’re carrying on,” he said.

Firefighters from the Eden District, Knysna, Still Bay, Uniondale and Bitou fire departments, as well as Mountain to Ocean, Working on Fire and Cape Nature have been battling the various fires since Friday.

Otto said police had been called in to investigate arson in the Still Bay fire. “We have asked the police to investigate because we’ve been busy battling fires in Still Bay for two weeks, then we had a small one-week break and then the fire started again. It’s clear these fires are not linked and must be the work of arsonists. How else do these things start?”

In Still Bay, the fire, which is 35km in circumference, started burning again on Friday. “One flank is still very alive in the section west of the airport. The rest of the blaze is not yet under control, but at least we’re not battling open flames anymore.”

He said 49 firefighters and an Allouette helicopter were battling the blaze. Addressing concerns that water availability could become a problem as the drought-stricken Garden Route’s farm dams are running low, Otto said: “We are lucky the fires in Knysna and Bitou have water that we can access but I am concerned about Still Bay.”

A pilot flying over the R62 near Harlem said the entire valley was covered in smoke.

Otto said the fire, behind Harlem Dam, was being fought from two sides by 24 firefighters.

“There is also a very big fire in the Langkloof, east of our region, which we have to keep an eye on because it could move over the mountain to us.”

Otto said the fire which broke out in Phantom Pass above Knysna at the weekend was still a problem for 64 firefighters battling the flames.

“I have two Oryx helicopters in the area and there are houses under threat. I have residents on high alert as they might need to be evacuated. There’s a lot of open flame.”

Otto said by early evening the helicopters were protecting the luxury homes and no damage had been caused to properties. “We don’t need to evacuate and if we do, we’ll tell the residents.”

The helicopters are scooping water from the Knysna Lagoon to battle the blaze.

In Bitou, a fire is raging in Fisanthoek near the Harkerville area.

“That is also an open fire and we have about 30 people, including the Bitou fire department, assisted with a Huey helicopter, fighting that one.”

Fires also raged at Kleinberg near Mossel Bay and on a farm north of Albertinia, which was started after an illegal controlled burn went wild.

Otto warned residents not to make any fires, including controlled burns, as a heat wave continues to batter the area, with temperatures peaking at over 30°C yesterday and expect to climb even higher today.

“We are not issuing any permits for controlled burns. Any fires made now will be illegal,” Otto said.