Wildfire on Lion’s Head Mountain near Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: EBU Social Newswire
A wildfire near Cape Town, South Africa spread across Signal Hill and Lion’s Head forcing a few residents to evacuate. It also burned portions of Table Mountain National Park, damaging infrastructure which will require the popular tourist destination to remain closed until repairs can be made.
Fires in South Africa. Satellite image from October 27, 2018. NASA.
Firefighters in South Africa have been busy for the last week battling large wildfires. A week ago a helicopter pilot was killed while working on one of the fires.
Below is an excerpt from an article in The South African, October 29, 2018.
A fierce Garden Route fire has engulfed part of the Outeniqua Mountain range near George, leading residents to evacuate homes and smallholdings.
The blaze, which began over the weekend, has been fanned by scorching temperatures and strong winds. George Municipality has initiated voluntary evacuation procedures for residents in the danger zone, which is currently regarded as the northern outskirts of the nearby town.
George fire causes panic as residents evacuate.
On Monday morning, George Municipality issued an evacuation warning for residents on the outskirts of town. Residents of Blanco Golden Valley and Stepaside were urged to vacate their homes as a precautionary measure.
The local traffic department and the South African Police Service (SAPS) are currently assisting residents in the area, ushering them to safety at the Town Hall. Residents of Heatherlands and Fernridge in George have also been urged to evacuate their properties and find shelter at the Blanco Community Hall.
A helicopter pilot died in a crash October 23 while helping firefighters extinguish a wildfire in South Africa.
Nico Heyns, 65, was flying a Huey owned by Kishuga Aviation that was under contract to the firefighting agency Working On Fire.
The accident occurred the Vermaaklikheid area, about 40km from Riversdale, around 9:50 a.m.
Mr. Heyns was supposed to be off duty that day but interrupted his leave to help with the fire. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
We are utterly devastated by the untimely passing of our beloved pilot Nico Heyns. He will be sorely missed by us all. Our sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. @wo_firepic.twitter.com/u0PXWXAVSd
Police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said, “Police had to arrange for the speedy removal of the body to save it from the fire that was engulfing the area.”
Mr. Heyns, a veteran pilot with more than 20 years experience, formerly owned Heyns Helicopter Service and was well known in the aviation community.
Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, and co-workers.
Working on Fire wishes to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Nico Heyns as well as colleagues and the firefighting fraternity. Our first and foremost priority at this stage is to provide the bereaved with support as needed and we will be meeting with the family. pic.twitter.com/cMenc0j9QZ
The firefighter was killed while working on a wildfire in the Simonsberg Mountain area
Makelepe Cedric Seokoma
A firefighter in South Africa was killed February 5 while working on a wildfire in South Africa. Makelepe Cedric Seokoma was a Base Manager for Working on Fire.
Mr. Seokoma passed away while working to contain a wildfire in the Simonsberg Mountain area near Klapmuts in the Western Cape.
Originally from the Limpopo Province, Mr. Seokoma leaves behind his wife and children. He started at Working on Fire in 2004 and moved up the ranks to the crew leader position, then Instructor. At the time of his untimely passing, he was the the Base Manager in the Western Cape.
The organization employs 5,000 young men and women trained as veld and wildland firefighters stationed in over 200 bases throughout South Africa.
On January 29 another firefighter in South Africa died while on duty. Candice (Ashley) Kruger was helping to suppress a wildfire on the lower slopes of Table Mountain when she collapsed and later passed away in a hospital. She was in her ninth year with the Fire and Rescue Service in Cape Town and was assigned to the Roeland Street Fire Station.
Firefighter Candice (Ashley) Kruger was 33 years old
Candice Kruger
A firefighter in South Africa collapsed while working on a fire January 28 and later passed away in a hospital.
Candice (Ashley) Kruger was helping to suppress a wildfire on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. She was in her ninth year of working for the Fire and Rescue Service in Cape Town and was assigned to the Roeland Street Fire Station.
The City will assist the Kruger family with funeral arrangements and will also offer trauma counseling to her relatives and Platoon colleagues. The Fire and Rescue Service will also offer the family a full Brigade Funeral as Candice died while serving in the line of duty.
Our sincere condolences go out to her friends, family, and co-workers.
Above: A post-fire scene from Knysna, South Africa. Screen grab from the Times video below.
Wildfires in South Africa have killed five residents, at least one firefighter, and have forced thousands to evacuate.
One of the fires in the Van Stadens Gorge area in the Eastern Cape has reportedly reached some of the buildings at Woodridge College outside of Port Elizabeth, the school said in a Facebook post.
After an appeal for water tankers to fill fire trucks, people came from far & wide. Overwhelming unity. I believe in South Africa #NMBFirespic.twitter.com/UQrORzPasu
