Authorities evacuated residents from several more areas in Knysna on Wednesday night as runaway fires continue to threaten the town.
Knysna, which is said to have a population of around 77 000, bore the brunt of fierce fires which were fanned by gale force winds spurred on by the storm that made landfall in the Western Cape on Tuesday night.
A farm worker, his wife and their child died in a blaze in the Rheenendal area, near the town while a fourth fatality was reported, that of a person who apparently suffered a heart attack amid the day’s events.
In an update Wednesday evening, the Eden District Municipality Disaster Management said that seven areas were evacuated. These were Brenton, Belvedere, Welbedacht, Nania, Eastford, Green Pastures and Knysna Heights.
Residents from Brenton and Belvedere were evacuated to the beach area earlier in the day
The Eden District Municipality said that by evening the fire had “split into two main fronts, one affecting Knysna Heights and the CBD area and the second the Belvedere and Brenton area.”
Unconfirmed reports said that “50 homes were burnt” while another report said that the NG Church in the Knysna CBD had “gone up in flames”.
Taxis and any possible forms of transport were roped in to help evacuate people to the Loerie Park area in town.
Knysna fire chief, Clinton Manuel, said in a voice note to the media, that the fire was “burning out of control. We have probably got a very slim chance of stopping this fire at the moment with the available resources that we’ve got.”
He said residents were evacuated to safe areas in the town.
Manuel said the fire was spreading “rapidly due to a fast wind and that people are being evacuated to safe areas within town.”
Runaway fires also knocked out power to Plettenberg Bay and kept fire-fighters all the way up to George, frantically busy. Help is being sent from as far as Cape Town.
Fires were also reported in the Kouga Municipality, but these were brought under control by late Wednesday afternoon, while Nelson Mandela Bay fire-fighters were also busy containing fires.
In an update the Metro said that fire fighters had brought several fires under control but said that a fire in the Bushbuckridge area continued to threaten property and pose a danger to motorists.
Municipality spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki, said that by 9.30pm fire-fighters were still trying to “control the fire at Bushbuckridge/Maitlands/DeSaes/ Greenbushes area.”
He said the team managed to save three houses and no injuries were reported.
Mniki said electricity cables were damaged leading blackouts.
(Images of Knysna fires supplied)
