Firefighters have bravely battled the heat and strong winds throughout the weekend, but the fire threat has not yet been fully contained.
Much of the Western Cape is still smouldering, and the province remains on high alert, despite many areas having relative control over the potential dangers.
Weather predictions for Monday show the light possibility of isolated showers, but temperatures are expected to remain high through the start of the week.
Pearly Beach and Stanford
The Overstrand Local Municipality stated on Monday morning that the Pearly Beach fire had been contained “for now”.
Light drizzle on Monday morning assisted firefighting efforts, with crews on the ground monitoring the situation as they conduct mop-up operations.
Near Stanford, backburning operations are being used to contain a fire near De Koude Vlakte.
“The backburn started in the early hours this morning along a line of approximately 9km, and by 6am crews were about halfway through the operation”, stated municipal manger Dean O’Neill.
“This is to ensure the fire is defined within the block and allowed to burn itself out safely in that area.”
He added that although the temperature was cooler and the wind had subsided, the risk remained high due to the nature of the flora in the area.
Roads closed or threatened by the Pearly Beach and Stanford fires were open, with motorists advised to still check for warnings before travelling.
Garden Route fires
Along the Garden Route, a fire was still burning in a remote gorge near Kleinberg.
The Garden Route District Municipality stated on Monday that fires in northern areas near the Tradouw Pass also remained active.
“Firefighters worked throughout the night to suppress fire lines closest to critical infrastructure, and these areas remain a priority,” the municipality said.
Additional ground crews will be sent to the relevant areas on Monday, with infrastructure protection remaining a priority.
Mayor of the Kouga municipality, Hattingh Bornman, provided an update in three areas of concern on Monday morning.
Humansdorp still had several smouldering smoke lines, while the area near the Kabeljous River saw flare-ups that were swiftly dealt with by community members on Sunday.
“Oyster Bay fire is still burning but under control. Air support will attack this area with force this morning.
“Ground teams walked the line of fire during the night to keep things under control,” stated Bornman.
90 000 HA affected
The Mossel Bay fires began last week, with the Garden Route municipality stating on Sunday morning that the fires had been “100%” contained.
A smaller fire by size, but affecting a densely populated informal settlement in Cape Town, the Dunoon blaze was fully extinguished around 7pm on Friday night.
Strong winds made fighting the fire difficult and dangerous, while community members allegedly hampered emergency response efforts by throwing rocks at responders.
“Our Fire and Rescue’s top priority is to protect lives and property, and we plead with our communities to support our firefighters and comply with their instructions over this difficult period,” stated Cape Town Safety and Security MMC JP Smith.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde on Sunday outlined the extent of the province-wide firefighting efforts.
“Thus far, 45 structures have been damaged with 90 000 hectares of land burnt. No lives have been lost, thanks to the collective efforts of residents and emergency personnel,” Winde stated.
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