Fresh fires fanned by extreme weather

FIREFIGHTERS are battling a fresh fire that broke out in the Hout Bay area in the Western Cape in the early hours of yesterday.

Firefighters were battling flames in difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions‚ with strong winds accelerating the spread of the flames.

Nine people are known to have died in fires that have raged in the Cape Town region over the past three days.

Fire and strong wind also caused the Cape Town Cycle Tour to be cancelled yesterday.

WIND‚ fire and the risk of protest action resulted in the decision to cancel the 40th Cape Town Cycle Tour yesterday.

It was the first ever cancellation of the event in which 35 000 cyclists, including many from abroad, would have participated.

Videos taken at the starting point of the tour in the city’s foreshore showed cyclists being blown off their bicycles.

The organisers said at the Southern Sun Cullinan Hotel‚ where many of the overseas cyclists were staying‚ that the decision was made to protect the participants from potential fatality, especially as the riders would have had to traverse Chapman’s Peak.

“This morning presented a number of challenges‚ not least of which were wind speeds considerably higher than predicted yesterday‚” the marketing‚ media‚ and sponsorship director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust‚ David Bellairs, said.

“This‚ combined with a large fire that broke out in Hout Bay in the early hours and the added risk of protest action en route‚ were all contributing factors to the decision to stop the event‚” he said.

A protest was staged near Masiphumelele, forcing the route to be shortened.

Cape Town’s safety and security executive director‚ Richard Bosman‚ said the protest seemed to be about contention over land.

The city’s firefighters were also battling a blaze in the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Hout Bay. A massive effort was still under way to help victims, after at least 650 homes were destroyed.

All the food and drinks brought in for the tour was redirected to help the victims.

Bellairs said: “We’re sitting in a drought scenario here in Cape Town‚ as a result fires have been a problem.

“The decision to move the event to a different date is something that needs to be discussed by the board of trustees. I think it’s highly unlikely at this point.”

Bellairs said no one would be refunded for the event.

Cyclist Greg Anderson, from Cape Town, said he understood why the race had to be cancelled.

“I’m from Cape Town so it’s not a major train smash that it was cancelled. I just feel for all the guys and girls who have come from far away‚” he said.

He suggested that the organisers reduce the fees by half for next year’s registration for people who were going to ride this year and donate the rest of the money to charity.

Participants from the UK‚ Philip Robinson and his wife, Caroline‚ said the tour would have been the icing on the cake of their visit to South Africa.

It cost them about R40 000 for the flights and luggage – including more than R6 000 just to transport the bicycles.

“Judging by the videos I’ve seen of people starting I think it was probably the right decision. Disappointing of course‚ but that’s not the only reason we came to South Africa‚” Philip said.

Caroline said: “We booked it in April‚ so it’s disappointing‚ but I’m glad I’m not cycling in that wind.”