SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Mossel Bay seems to have escaped serious disaster although it was hit by one of the worst storms in history in the Western Cape on Wednesday, 7 July. The crisis was exacerbated by Telkom and certain cellphone networks being down for extended periods.
Late morning fires were reported in the blue gum thicket behind the South Cape College near Heiderand. This fire soon spread close to the homes in Heiderand. At the time of going to press, reports confirmed that a number of homes were damaged by fire.
The Mossel Bay PetroSA plant remained out of commission for most of the day as a precautionary measure. Spokesperson Thabo Mabaso confirmed that the plant experienced a dip in electricity in the very early hours of the morning.
"As a precaution, owing to to the fires raging in the area, management decided to delay the start-up until the fires were extinguished."
At the Mossel Bay airstrip the raging wind damaged at least one aircraft when the door of one of the hangars was blown off.
The fires did not claim any lives in Mossel Bay.
Reports of arson could not be confirmed at the time of going to print, and the causes of the fires are as yet unknown.
In Knysna more than 50 homes were destroyed when more than 24 fires raged out of control since early in the morning on Wednesday.
The areas that were evacuated were Brenton, Belvedere, Welbedacht, Nania, Eastford, Green Pastures and Knysna Heights.
By early Thursday, the Eden District Municipality said the Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, was expected to visit Knysna that afternoon and that the Western Cape MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Minister Alan Winde, had already arrived in the Eden district.
National resources have been activated, which include ground teams, as well as air support. Additional assistance from firefighters and equipment from outside Eden DM have been activated from the City of Cape Town, Overberg District Municipality, Cape Nature, Working on Fire and the Cape Winelands.
Areas currently threatened are around Plettenberg Bay. Residents were advised to adhere to instructions from the Emergency Personnel at all times.
The fire had split into two main fronts, with one that affected the Knysna Heights and CBD area and the second the Belvedere and Brenton area. Three people - a farmworker, his wife and their son - died in a fire near Rheenendal. The Knysna Municipality activated a local Joint Operations Centre at the Knysna Fire Station to co-ordinate emergency operations.
At 19:15 on Wednesday the Eden District Municipality received a call from the acting municipal manager of Knysna indicating he needed to evacuate the entire town and national resources would be needed.
Knysna fire chief Clinton Manual requested any support that the other fire services centres in the Western Cape could give. Unfortunately national resources could be deployed, and it was said the activation of the SANDF could take a couple of days.
Prior to that people were being moved by means of taxis and any possible transport to the Loerie Park area in the town. Several families were evacuated using boats. The quaint Belvedere Church was destroyed and reports were received that the Knysna provincial hospital was also damaged by fire.
Eden Disaster Management Centre manager Gerhard Otto confirmed that all available staff had been deployed to fight fires. The Eden DM recalled staff that were on rest days at home and all the Working On Fire teams in the district were deployed. Unfortunately, owing to the gale force winds, no aerial support could be activated because of the limitations at start-up and shutdown of helicopters.
In multiple incidents involving the collective emergency services and members of the public, residents and animals were evacuated from the fire that had been fuelled by strong winds and high temperatures. The NSRI Knysna sea rescue craft assisted in evacuating people from shoreline homes and those in the Knysna Lagoon area, where residents were cut off by fires.
In some cases NSRI and emergency services personnel were forced to evacuate their own homes.
Community halls are full of residents, where the NSRI helped the emergency services staff in providing medical treatment to residents and also to firefighters.
The rescue efforts were expected to continue throughout Wednesday night.
At midday on Wednesday Mossel Bay Municipal Fire and Disaster Management Services staff were deployed at a number of fires.
In Herbertsdale both the Mossel Bay Fire and Disaster Management team, as well as a firefighting team from Eden, were fighting a raging fire. It was reported the fire had spread into the valleys, where teams could not reach. Mossel Bay Fire was monitoring the Eskom lines on the R327.
In Friemersheim the Mossel Bay Fire and Disaster Management staff managed to contain a fire and remained on the scene to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, four people were arrested after a property close to Powertown was torched on four fronts. Mossel Bay Fire and Disaster Management staff battled to fight this blaze in the gusting wind to safeguard the Powertown community from destruction. The property targeted was Erf 928, where a number of individuals and opposition political parties insisted that the Powertown community be re-housed, despite an environmental report that indicated that human habitation should be prohibited owing to very rare botanical and fauna species there.
George
The George Municipality confirmed that the roofs were blown off 32 informal structures. Trees landed on two houses in New Dawn Park and one in Borcherds. The George Fire Brigade was working on removing the trees and securing the houses.
The brigade staff had cut down and removed 12 trees that fell over on to roads in George.
Power outages were reported in Thembalethu, Wilderness Heights, the Industrial area and Parkdene, owing to either trees on lines or wind damage.
Power outages were restored in Herolds Bay, Oubaai and Hansmoeskraal. Low voltage issues were experienced in Rosemore and Heather Park.
The George Fire Brigade, in addition, had to battle veld fires in Hoekwil, Serpentine Heights and another in the Touwsranten area, where structures were under threat.
By midday, a total of 26 fires had been dealt with by the George Fire Brigade.
George Municipality activated its Disaster Management Plan and requested the public to report all emergencies on 044 801 6300, available 24 hours, and fire only on 044 801 6311.
Fires were also reported in the Uniondale area, where Eden staff were in attendance. Deon van Wyk reported that the fire was under control.
At Ebb and Flow, Wilderness, the George municipal firefighters were on the scene, where Neels Barnard reported that the fire was out of control, had jumped the road and was raging towards a residential area.
At Gwaing on the R102, the George firefighters had to attend to a fire also. John Crouse reported that the fire was extinguished and the teams had moved to Hoekwil.
In Herold the Eden Fire and Rescue, George WOF and MTO Forestry were fighting a fire. Platoon commander Sakkie Greyling reported that the fire had been contained and mopping up operations had commenced.
Hessequa
There was a fire at Kruisrivier, Hessequa, where the Hessequa Fire and Rescue teams were on the scene. Phillip Wilkin reported that the fire was under control. Local farmers were assisting with tractors and water pump units.
In Kannaland, 40 people were evacuated in areas where the roofs were blown off dwellings by gale force winds; the Eden DMC will provide 80 blankets to the affected people.
Two mobile generators were made available from the Eden DM to assist Kannaland with the pumping of borehole water.
Oudtshoorn Municipality and Bitou reported no major concerns.
Contact Eden Disaster Management (044 805 5071) if you are able to assist Knysna residents with accommodation, food, water, or blankets.
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Even from town the clouds of smoke were visible in Heiderand.
Photo: Dave van der Merwe
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER NEWS EDITOR
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