Bitou officials monitor fires caused by lightning

Officials will continue to monitor mountain fires in the Bitou municipal area after lightning strikes on Monday night.

According to the Garden Route District Municipality, there were, by late Tuesday afternoon, six active fires in the mountainous terrain within the Bitou municipality.

“Members of the public are advised that four of these fires are higher up in the mountains, with two of these of concern in the Wittedrift and Crags area,”  municipal spokesperson Herman Pieters said.

Pieters said no action was possible or required at present as the fires were too high up in the mountain.

“They are not in close proximity to any infrastructure,” he said.

SA National Parks regional spokesperson Phokela Lebea said a decision would be made after the predicted rain for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in Keurboomstrand, residents are experiencing a power outage due to damage to a cable caused during the lightning storm.

The electrical department has been working to locate and repair the fault since Monday night.

The municipality said there was no estimated time frame for the situation to be resolved.

HeraldLIVE