The massive fire that ran out of control in the Plettenberg Bay area over the past few days has been contained.
Lauren Howard of Working On Fire said Wednesday that ground crews from Working on Fire and Bitou Municipality were monitoring and conducting mopping up operations.
Howard said approximately 1500ha of veld was burned with "structures" destroyed.
She said aerial support had been used on multiple occassions.
Meanwhile, the NSRI in Plettenberg Bay rushed to the assistance of the skipper of a charter yacht who was out at sea while his house was on fire.
NSRI station commander, Marc Rodgers, said that a rescue craft, Ray Farnham Rescuer, was despatched to assist the skipper (a friend and supporter of NSRI) of the charter yacht Ocean Rythm to get to shore as he had received reports that his house was on fire.
"NSRI took the skipper to shore so that he could rush to his house, accompanied by NSRI crew who went to assist, and his passengers were also taken to shore".
"It then became evident that Fire and Rescue Services from plettenberg Bay and Knysna and surrounding areas, the Eden Emergency Services and SA National Parks had activated to a bush fire raging along the N2 and all Fire Departments, the WoF (Working on Fire) helicopters and crews, SANParks, Mountain Rescue, the SA Police Services and the public were deployed to evacuate areas of the mountain range surrounding Plettenberg Bay that at one stage recorded a 7 kilometer fire front," he said.
"A change in wind direction is believed to have saved a town but houses and properties and a vast area of vegetation were raised by the fire and NSRI Plettenberg Bay crew assisted the Emergency Services with fighting the fire, delivering supplies and water to collection points for the firemen, First Aid duties, assisting to evacuate residents and animals and protecting properties and joining Mountain Rescue at a fire front to beat the fire," Rodgers added
Pictures:NSRI Plettenberg Bay.
