CAPE WINELANDS – Two hours of steady rainfall in the early hours of Saturday morning (15 November) significantly aided firefighters in containing a wildfire that has raged in the Ashton area for more than a week.
The lightning-induced fire near De Doorns, which has blazed for almost a week, has also been partially contained, confirmed Jo-Anne Otto, spokesperson for the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM).
“Teams remain active on the western flank, where suppression continues,” she said of the De Doorns situation. “Fresh CWDM crews from Worcester will join CapeNature teams this morning to support operations. At present, there is no threat to orchards or infrastructure.”
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Farmers praised
Otto made special mention of the supportive efforts by De Doorns farmers and farmworkers in the firefighting operations.
“We want to thank the many De Doorns farmers and farmworkers, along with the CapeNature team and Cape Winelands fire team, who helped until 23:00 last night to prevent the fire from spreading over a road leading to the dam,” she said.
“If the fire had crossed this road, the larger Hex River Valley would be at risk. Riding along the road towards the dam, you can see evidence of this tremendous effort. Well done to everybody.”
The cooler temperatures expected over the next two days will present more favourable working conditions for firefighters, but Otto warned that strong winds may reignite smouldering areas.
Ashton fire crosses
Despite gale-force winds that ripped through the Cape over the past two days, the fire that raged through the Ashton area has been completely contained, Otto added.
On Friday afternoon (14 November), strong winds severely fanned the inferno, causing the fire to race across the mountains into the Montagu area as it jumped a firebreak and crossed the R62.
As the blaze ignited trees and vegetation on the opposite side of the road, authorities were forced to close all access to the R62 at around 14:00.
“Despite the rapid deployment of additional ground and aerial resources – and the excellent cooperation of landowners and volunteers – a small container-style store was gutted and several orchards were damaged,” Otto noted.
“Active firefighting continued late into the night, with crews gaining ground as the wind eased. Steady two-hour rainfall between 02:00 and 04:00 significantly assisted suppression efforts. Whilst no active flames remain, smouldering tree stumps and hotspots will require extensive mopping up before the area can be declared fully safe.”
The CWDM extended its sincere gratitude to all partners, contractors, community organisations, landowners and volunteers for their ongoing support and cooperation.
ALSO READ: Western Cape battles wave of early summer wildfires across multiple districts
Severe start
The Western Cape has been confronting an unusually severe start to the fire season, with multiple blazes erupting simultaneously across the province due to unseasonably hot, dry and windy conditions.
The most serious fire, which began on Friday 7 November between Bredasdorp and Napier, continues to tear through mountain ranges whilst fire crews battle flames from the Overberg region to Cape Town. Two firefighters were injured when their vehicle overturned.
The crisis has stretched resources thin, with the Cape Winelands experiencing five separate incidents near Tulbagh, Wellington, Paarl, Pniël and Ashton, whilst a blaze at a Cape Town refugee site displaced more than 200 people.
Officials warned residents to prepare for what could be an especially challenging summer fire season ahead.
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