More evacuations along the Garden Route

MORE evacuations were carried out along the Garden Route after fires in Karatara killed at least eight people, including a pregnant woman.

Rescue teams said their efforts to communicate with teams on the ground were hampered by lack of a cellphone signal. An SA National Defence Force Oryx has been deployed to assist.

In a statement, the municipality said: “The Rheenendal fire has passed the northern side of the community thanks to a change in wind direction – evacuations have been placed on hold. The fire passed the Bibby’s Hoek area as well. The Kraaibosch area, near Rheenendal, is cause for concern as the fire is approaching it.

“Power lines have made it difficult for aircraft to bomb the fire lines as bombers had to unload water at a higher than usual altitude.”

Evacuations were conducted in De Vlugt, co-ordinated on the ground, where valley and mountainous areas created microclimate conditions, which led to ever-changing wind directions. The municipality said this hampered firefighting activities.

“In addition, the Incident Management Team found that an indigenous forest in the area could not fully block the fire as expected.”

In Kraaibosch, the municipality said black wattle and other plants posed a threat due to burning at a high intensity. It said that in Keurhoek, on the edge of Rheenendal, people from the informal settlement were evacuated.

Acting Environmental Affairs Minister Derek Hanekom addressed firefighters yesterday. “You are genuinely our heroes. You are the people having to be in the most difficult conditions. Without you, devastation would be so much bigger. We value what you are doing. Your work is critically important.”