The Cape Winelands District Municipality’s (CWDM’s) Fire Services confirmed late yesterday afternoon, after 4pm, that the fires in Breede Valley and Witzenberg continue to burn out of control.
Four properties were lost at Steenbok Park, as a result of the fire in Bain’s Kloof/Slanghoek, which the Municipality has described as difficult and unfortunate.
Elsewhere in the District, the fire line moved speedily into Tweede Tol where teams are doing structure protection. The fire line runs from Bain’s Kloof valley up into the mountains above Slanghoek, and is 6.5 kms long.
On the Fairy Glen fire outside Worcester, have been raging on for the 3rd day, burning some 2,000 hectares of land. Yesterday, the District said there are still spots high up in the mountain, and another larger section lower down that is being attended to by ground teams and equipment.
A brief by the Municipality said “the day started out well, with the optimism that at least two of four fire lines would be contained. However, a strong north westerly wind picked up from early in the day and caused the lines to continue to spread and in some instances do so faster than expected. The only fire line where progress in securing the line has been made is the Elandsberg line.”
At all the other lines, crews are battling.
The Kluitjieskraal, now on Day 7, has burnt an estimated 23, 600 hectares.
Combined structural damaging amount to 48.
The District is expected to have temperature in the low 30s today but on Wednesday onwards, it is expected to reach 40 degrees on Thursday and Friday.
Picture : Greater Overberg