FRANSCHHOEK – Devastating fires that raged over the past few days in the Wemmershoek and Franschhoek areas have reduced buildings and many hectares of vineyards to ruins.
The fire apparently started in Langrug on Wednesday and spread from there, the Cape Winelands District Municipality said.
Extensive damage to wine estates
Chamonix Wine Estate in Franschhoek sustained significant damage as firefighters were unable to save the guest house and office buildings despite their best efforts. Eight to nine surrounding farms were also hit hard, with substantial damage to vineyards and infrastructure, according to Daan van Leeuwen Boomkamp of DFW Fire & Rescue NPC.
Avondale Wine Estate reportedly sustained considerable damage to vineyards and its solar plant, but announced on Facebook this morning that it is open for business as usual. The estate thanked the community for its support during the crisis.
Farms such as Helderstroom, Hartebeestkraal on the R301, Afsaal, Rustig, and Wildepaardejacht were also caught in the fire’s path.
Heroic efforts amid challenging conditions
“Many people were heroes during this time – from the farm worker who went to save children to the firefighters who saved a group of people from a house in the mountains in the Val de Vie area. We had hundreds of people arriving to offer their help, for which we are grateful. To fight fire, however, one must have the correct training and equipment,” van Leeuwen Boomkamp said.
The CWDM reported this morning that it was a challenging night as the fire in the area continues to burn out of control.
“During the night, the fire spread rapidly down the mountain across a large area, threatening surrounding farms along the Wemmershoek Road (R301). Firefighting efforts, including aerial resources, focused primarily on structure protection. The fire later shifted back towards the R45, where recognised firefighting techniques, including backburns, were implemented,” said spokesperson Anesca Roodt.
An assessment of the full extent of the fire will be made after a reconnaissance flight today, after which an operational plan for the day will be drawn up.
Coordinated response essential
“The CWDM Fire Services extend sincere thanks to our partners, farmers, landowners, and volunteers for their continued support. However, all firefighting operations are being conducted under a formal Incident Command System (ICS). For safety and coordination reasons, members of the public are requested not to organise or participate in independent or ad-hoc firefighting groups.”
Firefighters are continuing to battle the blaze with very little sleep following physically draining days.
“We last had to deal with a similar fire in 2017. The key is that the teams must be efficient and prepared. We used massive water and foam cannons to protect the buildings. It was a firestorm with 40-60 km per hour winds. It felt like a bear roaring – the only way to kill such flames is when they are just waking up,” said van Leeuwen Boomkamp.
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