VREDENBURG – Firefighters from the Saldanha Bay Municipality Fire and Rescue Services remain on site battling a fire at the landfill site that has been burning since Wednesday 24 June.

According to the municipality, strong winds are hampering firefighting efforts and causing thick smoke to spread across the Vredenburg municipal area as far as the Nieuwe Rust small holdings near Paternoster.

When Weslander visited the site yesterday afternoon, smoke was still billowing from the smouldering heaps of garden rubbish.

Emergency crews continue to work around the clock to contain and extinguish the blaze. Conventional firefighting methods, such as using only water, are ineffective in these conditions, so heavy machinery has been deployed to isolate and remove burning material to prevent the fire from spreading further.

Residents have been urged to take precautions to protect themselves from smoke and airborne ash, particularly those with respiratory conditions. The hope is that the predicted rain on Sunday 28 June will help with firefighting efforts.

The municipality advised people suffering from asthma or other respiratory illnesses to keep their reliever medication readily available and use it as prescribed. Residents are also encouraged to avoid strenuous outdoor activities while smoke levels remain high.

Children, elderly residents and pets should be kept indoors as much as possible to limit exposure to the smoke.

To reduce smoke entering homes, residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed while heavy smoke passes through their area. Once conditions improve and the smoke dissipates, homes should be ventilated by opening windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate.

Motorists and homeowners using air-conditioning systems are advised to set them to the “recirculate” mode to prevent outside smoke from being drawn indoors.

Residents experiencing eye irritation should rinse their eyes with clean water, while drinking plenty of water may help soothe throat irritation caused by smoke exposure.

The municipality warned that anyone experiencing severe shortness of breath, chest pain or prolonged coughing should seek immediate medical attention or contact emergency services.

For emergencies, residents can contact the 24-hour Public Safety Control Room on 022 701 6834.