News24.com | Firefighters still trying to contain Garden Route blaze

Firefighters still trying to contain Garden Route blaze

2018-10-22 12:35
(File, Gallo)

(File, Gallo)

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Firefighters are struggling to contain a fire which has been raging since Sunday in Vermaaklikheid, along the Garden Route.

On Monday, Hessequa municipal manager Johan Jacobs said that two thatched houses on the banks of the Duivenhoksriver were destroyed in the fire.

Fortunately, firefighters were able to save three other houses from a similar fate.

"We are helping the Garden Route District Municipality. We are assisting with the structural fires, so there are big firefighting teams on the ground," he said.

Two ground crews, two tankers and a skid unit have been deployed to the area.

"We can't say that the fire has been contained yet. We can only confirm once we receive a report from our aerial resources," Jacobs said.

Garden Route District Municipality spokesperson Herman Pieters said that, although the fire had been contained overnight, hot weather conditions may lead to flare-ups in the area.

Western Cape Fire Update#VermaaklikheidFire

Here's a look at the latest Vermaaklikheid Fire.
Our thoughts and prayers goes out to the firefighters battling this blaze in the scorching heat.#SavingLives #ProtectingTheEnvironment #RestoringDignity #Fire #Wildfire pic.twitter.com/8AvDnRQW8u

— Working on Fire (@wo_fire) October 22, 2018

Western Cape Fire Update#VermaaklikheidFire Video Footage via the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association@SouthernCapeFPA#SavingLives #ProtectingTheEnvironment #RestoringDignity #Fire #Wildfire pic.twitter.com/1Az0rsm2LK

— Working on Fire (@wo_fire) October 22, 2018

Garden Route District fire update 2018/20/22 Time: 06:00

MUNICIPAL AREA: HESSEQUA

LOCATION: Near Heidelberg, Duivenhoksriver

CURRENT SITUATION:
Head of fire burning actively in a south... https://t.co/ZGMzNRfR9j

— Communications (@GardenRoute_DM) October 22, 2018

#Wildfire 21/10/18 Vermaaklikheid between Stilbaai and Witsand, Southern Cape. Lots of the smoke visible in the #Overberg from this fire and has reached #CapeTown. Images couresy of #AFIS @riaanvddool #WesternCape pic.twitter.com/YZ3RFB1sl0

— Greater Overberg FPA (@OverbergFPA) October 21, 2018

Thatch-roofed homes destroyed by fires yesterday in the Hessequa municipal area. Fire still ablaze heading direction Heidelberg. pic.twitter.com/uVfEBNaPzq

— NickeyleRoux (@NickeyleRoux) October 22, 2018

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