Burning candles left on George trail raise veld fire concerns

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GEORGE NEWS - Four burning candles left unattended beside a trail near George's 'Sputnik' radio tower had already scorched the rock beneath them and set some nearby grass alight when two trail runners, Sarah van Zyl and a friend, discovered them early on Sunday morning, 23 August.

The candles were found along a single-track trail between Campherskloof and the tower at about 07:30. Strong winds were blowing at the time.

The runners extinguished the flames before they could ignite the surrounding veld.

Van Zyl has since urged people not to leave open flames unattended in the veld, warning that a fire could have trapped the runners on the trail and potentially spread rapidly in the dry vegetation. "Thankfully, they didn't start a veld fire," she says.

She added that the trail was their only route back to their vehicle. "We would have had to go back around Campherskloof and find a different way, which would have been really tough, considering the elevation and terrain."

Van Zyl shared a video of the candles on the local community group Georgiete Staan Saam, along with a plea for people to consider the fire risk. "There was a religious group praying nearby when we headed out at 05:15, and I'm not sure if they lit them before they left to go home," she said in her message. "In case anyone who was involved in lighting the candles reads this: that is dangerous - please don't. This is not to attack anyone, just a plea."

Van Zyl said she became concerned after some comments on her post assumed that the burning candles were linked to Satanism. "They were praying, but it most certainly did not sound like Satanic prayer," she said.

The entrance to some of the George trails. Photo: Marguerite van Ginkel

She stressed that she could not confirm that the prayer group had left the candles behind. The group had been in the area earlier that morning, but there was nobody else in the immediate vicinity when she and her friend encountered the candles.

Van Zyl said her intention was not to create conflict or infringe on anyone's right to practise their religion, but rather to raise awareness about the potential danger of leaving burning candles unattended in an open veld, particularly when strong winds are blowing.

With dry conditions and an elevated fire risk in the region, she urged people using open areas for religious or other gatherings to ensure that any flames are completely extinguished before leaving.