Parts of Garden Route evacuated as wildfires spread

A spate of raging wildfires across the Garden Route has caused several residential areas to be evacuated.

By midday on Monday, several suburbs on the outskirts of George - bordering the dense bush - were evacuated as a precautionary measure while several other suburbs were requested to voluntarily evacuate.

By afternoon, the George Municipality issued an alert to visitors and tourists to delay their visit.

Nelson Mandela University spokesperson Zandile Mbabela confirmed that the George campus was also being evacuated as a precautionary measure. 

The latest fire is currently in the Outeniqua Pass area – near the Witfontein Nature Reserve – near the small town of Herold on the Montagu Pass, halfway between George and Oudtshoorn.

The fire started on Wednesday and has been burning out of control, despite extensive efforts over the weekend to contain the blaze.

By Monday, parts of the fire in the George area had been contained while some parts were still burning out of control.

Several firebreaks had been implemented in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading into the urban area.

At 8am, officials confirmed that the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre had been alerted and were monitoring the fires as well as a Garden Route Joint Operations Centre that has been established.

Authorities closed the Outeniqua Pass and all the hiking trails in the area and were diverting traffic through the alternative Robinson Pass near Mossel Bay.

By Monday afternoon, additional resources had been deployed bolstering the number of firefighters to 300, with helicopters and planes as aerial support.

Working on Fire’s Lauren Howard said the recent influx of fires over the past week had seen fire-fighting teams brought in from the Free State and Eastern Cape to assist.

“At this stage, the George area is engulfed with smoke and ash leaving a fire-fighting ground crew busy suppressing and mopping up burnt areas, while aerial support is on standby until the conditions become favourable to fly in.”

Howard said they were expecting a “difficult” fire season primarily due to the ongoing drought and warm weather.

Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said a backburn operation was implemented in George from the railway line, up the mountain, towards the fire line.

“Due to prevailing wind, parts of George are currently enveloped by smoke and ash from fire on the mountain. There’s no current threat to people and infrastructure. The Outeniqua Pass has been closed to motorists. Please use Robinson Pass as an alternative,” he said.

“The public is urgently requested to refrain from recreational hiking today and over the next few days. All official hiking trails remain closed by Cape Nature until further notice.”

Another fire, which is believed to have started over the weekend, was burning in the mountains in the Karatara area – just outside Knysna – but by Monday morning was deemed under control.

George Municipality spokesman Chantel Edwards-Klose said residents in Golden Valley in the Blanco informal settlement area and Stepaside vicinity - on the outskirts of George - were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

By 1pm, residents in Fernridge, Heatherlands and Glenbarrie were also told to evacuate.

By 2pm, another alert was sent out for voluntary evacuations to take place in all suburbs bordering the bush.

“Residents living on the borders of the town and forest are requested to voluntarily evacuate their homes due to danger of smoke inhalation. The fire remains active on the slopes,” Edwards-Klose said.

At 3pm, officials confirmed that one building was on fire in Fernridge area.

She added that police and traffic officials were assisting with the evacuation while Go George buses had been sent to assist with moving residents to Town Hall.

Tourists were also urged to delay their trip.

“Due to current smokey conditions in and around George, it is recommended that people planning to visit George in the next day or two delay their visit,” Edwards-Klose said.

Fancourt – which is close to the Blanco area – marketing manager Michelle van der Westhuizen said staff living in the evacuation affected areas were sent home to ensure the safety of their families.

“As further precaution, all three golf courses, The Outeniqua, Montagu and The Links have been closed until further notice. All action taken so far is for precautionary reasons, and no one should panic.”

South African Breweries – who also have offices and hop farms in the vicinity – spokesperson Azure Janneker said two hop farms situated in Herold had been affected in varying degrees by the fires.

“There has, however, been no damaging to housing on the farms None of our employees have needed to be evacuated for the time being.”

With regards to the Karatara fire, Edwards-Klose said it was currently contained.

“Due to the heavy smoke, helicopters are not able to fly [so] no water bombing can be done at this stage,” she said.

Edwards-Klose said the SA National Defence Force Oryx helicopter was also stationed at the George Airport in the event that additional air support is needed.

Garden Route National Park spokesperson Nandi Mgwadlamba said the Karatara fire was on the mountains far away from residents and property.

This fire comes in the wake of two others along the Garden Rouet last week, both of which have since been extinguished.

The Vermaaklikheid fire, which started on October 21, saw about 500km² of land destroyed while firefighters spent five days getting it under control.

Working on Fire pilot Nico Heyns, 65, was killed in a helicopter crash about 40km from Riversdale.

Two days later another fire had started in the Tsitsikamma area, in the Lottering plantation in Storms River, bordering the Garden Route National Park.

By Sunday, the Otter Trail – which had been closed – was reopened.

On Monday, MTO area manager Thinus Kok estimated that about 600km² of vegetation had been damaged.