KOUGA – A 7 000-litre water tanker has arrived in Jeffreys Bay to support firefighting and evacuation efforts as raging and largely uncontrollable wildfires continue to affect parts of the Kouga region.
Gift of the Givers confirmed that its teams are on the ground in Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp, providing critical relief and assistance to communities impacted by the fires. The ongoing wildfires have resulted in several national and local road closures, while emergency services across the Eastern Cape remain on high alert as fire conditions persist in multiple areas.
In St Francis Bay, a 2 000-litre water bomber helicopter from Mossel Bay has been deployed to assist Kouga Municipality’s urgent fire response. Gift of the Givers teams are stationed at the St Francis Bay airfield to supply water to the aircraft. A water tanker from Adelaide is positioned at the airfield, supported by two additional tankers sourcing water nearby to speed up helicopter turnaround times.
According to Gift of the Givers, the coordinated aerial and ground operation is aimed at containing flare-ups, particularly in bushy areas, allowing firefighters to operate more safely and enabling Eskom technicians to begin restoring electricity to damaged substations and dams. The restoration of power is expected to allow water supply to resume to affected areas.
Founder and chair of Gift of the Givers, Doctor Imtiaz Sooliman, said the organisation is working closely with local authorities to strengthen firefighting capacity and support evacuation and relief efforts as conditions remain volatile.
Emergency services continue to monitor the situation, with firefighting operations ongoing across the region.
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