Several fires broke out in a short space of time last week, not only in the Overstrand but the greater Overberg, leading to suspicions of foul play and arson.
Resources were severely stretched last Monday (29 January) when a number of fires broke out at Oudemolen and Orchard outside Grabouw, Klipkop in the town of Grabouw, Riviersonderend and Villiersdorp in the Theewaterskloof municipal area.
At the same time, firefighters were also stretched to the limit when fires broke out in six locations across the Overstrand, including Pearly Beach, near the Kleinmond turn-off along the R43, near Hangklip, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay, the furthest points (Pearly Beach and Pringle Bay) approximately 125 km apart.
A statement by the Greater Overberg Fire Protection Agency (goFPA) reported one structure in the Grabouw area was damaged. In the Overstrand alone four structures in Pringle Bay were gutted, and eight others, including structures at Hangklip Hotel, damaged as a result of the fires that blazed out of control over a number of days.
In addition, 8 000 ha of veld in the Pearly Beach area and 900 ha in the Pringle Bay area were destroyed.
Overstrand Municipality reported on Monday morning (5 February) there were no active fire lines at either Pearly Beach/Buffeljags or Hangklip/Pringle Bay. It said firefighters attended a flare-up in Pringle Bay and crews monitored the lines until they were confident of no lingering hot spots.
Asked if the fires could have been started deliberately, Overstrand Exceutive Mayor Dr Annelie Rabie replied: “I cannot comment right now on the veracity of the claim that this is possible arson. I can say, for me, these are a little too much just to be written off as incidental fires. We will have a post-incident investigation as per the norm, and once that report has been completed I will be in a better position to comment on this.”
While the total cost of this mammoth firefighting exercise still has to be calculated it has been revealed the cost of aerial support alone is estimated to be in the vicinity of R1,4 million.
“A final amount will be available only once the mop-up operations have been completed and all invoices submitted and reconciled,” the Mayor stated.
Behind the scenes
Overstrand Fire and Rescue Services received vital support from Overberg District Municipality, the Garden Route Municipality, George Municipality, the City of Cape Town and Swartland Municipality as well as from civil organisations, environmental agencies and role-players such as SanParks, Working on Fire and the farming community.
“Although this (firefighting) is what they are trained to do, their determination to win this battle was evident,” Rabie said. “They refused to give up and kept on working under very trying and exhausting conditions.
“The wind and wind speed hampered efforts, especially the air defences, to extreme limits. This also fuelled the fire spread at a rapid pace.
The inaccessibility of the terrain, especially in the Buffelsjags/Pearly Beach area made things very difficult too.”
The overgrown alien vegetation “on private property as well as on Overstrand Municipal property”, said Rabie, is seriously problematic as it fuels on fires and hampers firefighting efforts.
“The lack of fire breaks in areas such as this is also problematic.”
She added two key components of firefighting are a strong command and control centre, and an active and involved community.
“We are very grateful to the community across the Overstrand for providing food (three meals a day for over 150 personnel on the ground), drinks and eye-drops and other necessities.”
Rabie made special mention of the assistance of the farming community in the Buffeljags, Pearly Beach, Baardskeerdersbos and Wolvengat areas who assisted with their “Bakkie Sakkies”.
“Their vehicles could access some of the denser vegetation that our fire engines could not reach.
“Their determination and commitment to fight this fire and fight alongside our men and women in the front line truly turned the tides of this fight.
“If it were not for them and the FPA they belong to this fire may have still been burning uncontrollably.
“The offers of food, funds, eye-drops, drinks, housing for firemen from other municipalities, teams looking after and taking in pets of homeowners forced to evacuate, truly reflects the spirit of a community that stands together in times of need.”
Emotional toll
Rabie, who could often be seen out in the field while the fires raged, said she will never forget the devastation on the face of Frank Douglass, a volunteer firefighter whose house was gutted in the blaze while has was actively fighting fire.
The psychological impact of such disastrous events, she said, should not be understated.
“The anxiety and fear that was evident on the faces of the elderly, faced with a prospect of possibly losing their homes, and their panic and concern over their pets they had brought with them to the evacuation zones was very hard to witness,” she stated. . Contact the Overstrand Fire & Rescue emergency control room on 028 312 2400 to report smoke and fires.
