The devastating fires which destroyed ten houses and severely damaged three others in St Francis Bay last December were likely to have been started deliberately.
That's according to an independent assessment of the devastating fires commissioned by the Kouga Municipality and which was carried out by Phoenix Fire Protection Services.
The assessment report was tabled in Council last week.
Kouga Fire Chief, Dewald Barnard, said their aim was to get an unbiased report and a clear understanding of what transpired on 18 December.
He said on the day in question Kouga Fire Services were busy attending to a fire between Sea Vista and the old refuse site in gale force winds when they received a report of another fire burning.
Barnard said when they rushed to the second site, they received a further report of a third fire burning behind the thatched roof houses which ultimately caused the devastation.
He said the independent report found no link between the three fires adding that "fire two and fire three were deliberately set."
An arson inquest docket has been opened by the SAPS and Barnard said it was up the police to investigate the matter further.
