Garden Route Wildfires Update

Update

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - In a statement issued by the Garden Route District Municipality, on 18 January, there are currently wildfires active in the Garden Route.

The Swartberg Pass has also been closed until further notice, due to a fire in the area. This is on both the Prins Albert and Oudtshoorn side.

Please do not enter the area as it is a safety risk.

Haarlem (caused by lightning)

This wildfire has been located and does not cover a huge area.

The Southern Cape Fire Protection Association's Eastern representative
and Fire Management Unit, together with landowner crews are currently dealing with mopping up operations on its northern lines.

For the southern flank, a Provincial Disaster Management Centre first-hour aerial resource has been activated to stop the spread.

Rooiberg Mountain

This wildfire is currently active high up in the mountain and inaccessible for any crews. CapeNature crews are, however, monitoring the progression of this wildfire. Plans are in place to prevent the rapid spread.

Nuwe Kloof, Kruisrivier, Calitzdorp

This wildfire is also very high up in the mountain on private property. The landowner is keeping an eye on this wildfire and Garden Route District Municipality's (GRDM) Fire Service, in addition, will do periodic inspections.

Swartberg Pass (Cape Nature property)

The Swartberg Pass wildfire has considerably improved with only one gorge that indicated smouldering and is currently being mopped up.

Molenrivier, Louvain

This wildfire's north-western head was stopped from spreading further last night by GRDM and the landowners.

Furthermore, GRDM and George Municipality's Fire Services worked throughout the night to ensure no adverse spread on the north-eastern corner towards a new property. Currently, a counter-burn is being implemented on the southeastern corner of the wildfire to ensure that it does not spread to another property and to close out this section. Crews will however mop up and patrol all firelines.

Role-players are divided up amongst all the indicated fires and include GRDM's Fire Services, George Municipality's Fire Services, Oudtshoorn Municipality's Fire & Rescue Services, Cape Nature, SANParks, Southern Cape Fire Protection Association, Working on Fire and relevant landowners.

No infrastructure has been lost in any of the fires.

Sporadic rain has set in on the northwestern mountains, including the Gamka Mountains. These cooler conditions will aid mopping up operations performed by the ground crew.