The damage caused by a week of raging veld fires in the George and Wilderness areas of the Southern Cape has been put at R40-million.
Chantel Edwards-Klose of the George Municipality says the George Municipal Fire Brigade has been working flat out since the fires flared up in berg wind conditions last Thursday.
More than a dozen homes were destroyed in the fires, two of which flared up again in 3rd avenue and Hoekwil in Wilderness on Monday.
Municipal Manager, Trevor Botha extended his thanks to the approximately 80 officials from various organisations who were involved in the mammoth task of controlling the fires.
George Fire Brigade was assisted by Eden District Fire Services, Cape Pine, Cape Nature, Working on Fire and the NSRI.
Neels Barnard of the George Fire Brigade said the fire fighters had been overwhelmed by an outpouring of well-wishes and gratitude and food donations from the general public and the business community at George.
