ADDRESSING NEEDS:
Donations from all over South Africa have poured in for the victims of the devastating Knysna fires. Among the team of some 50 volunteers who are hard at work sorting items at the Knysna Vineyard Church distribution centre are Steffie Barnard, front, and her son, Geoff •
FIREFIGHTERS have gained the upper-hand on the fires that devastated large parts of the Garden Route.
The fires, which raged for almost a week largely from Knysna to Plettenberg Bay, claimed the lives of seven people.
They destroyed about 700 homes and other structures, burnt through between 10 000 and 15 000ha of land, and forced about 5 000 people to flee their homes.
The seven fatalities included a firefighter and two children.
Working on Fire (WoF) spokesman Lauren Howard said firefighters had started mop-up operations yesterday and were monitoring hotspots.
“The fires are under control although there were some flare-ups in the Phantom Pass area yesterday,” Howard said.
Other areas being monitored included the area around Simola, Pezula and Brenton.
Water-bombing was also still taking place in the PG Bison plantation area near Sedgefield.
In Bitou, municipal spokesman Howard Swartz said while the fires were largely under control there were still a few problem areas and flare-ups.
“There are still serious fires in Uplands and Kransbos [on the outskirts of Plett],” Swartz said. No further property losses had been reported.
There were also a few minor flare-ups near the town’s airport, Whale Rock, Beachy Head and Kranshoek.
Howard said she believed the fires would be doused enough before further adverse weather hits the region.
The South African Weather Service is expecting strong to gale-force winds along the coastal belt between Plettenberg Bay and Port Alfred by Thursday.
Meanwhile, disaster management experts have described the efforts to contain the fires and rescue residents as the biggest disaster rescue operation in South African history.
Western Cape premier Helen Zille said the fires spanned at least 100km and were fought by a team of 1 106 firefighters from across the country.
“What we saw in the last week was an unprecedented natural disaster that required an unprecedented response,” Zille said.
She said the Western Cape cabinet would be convening in Knysna tomorrow to begin a series of visits to the most affected areas in the region.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane, who visited Concordia, White Location, Knysna Heights, Welbedacht and Brenton in Knysna yesterday, said: “The situation is truly heart-breaking.” He had met those who had lost family members and homes.
Maimane said the tourism industry in Knysna, key to job creation and the economy, had suffered a severe blow.
“We call on all South Africans, especially corporate companies, to continue to provide towards the relief effort in this disaster area, where many thousands have been displaced and lost their homes,” he said.