Cape Town - Several ground and air support teams from the Cape Winelands District Municipality's fire services and CapeNature, are currently fighting a fire in the mountains above the Boontjieskraalpad just off the R46 outside Wolseley.
The fire, in the Boontjiesrivier area, was reported at midnight. The cause of the blaze is unknown.
Municipality spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto said the fire was burning fiercely in the mountains in areas that are inaccessible for fire vehicles.
She said purpose-built 4X4s were used to transport ground teams and their gear as close as possible to the fire line, however teams were still required to hike a fair distance before reaching the line.
Otto said:“The fire is burning very high in the mountains in areas that are inaccessible for fire vehicles. Ground crews from both organisations and air support from the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PMDC) were deployed.”
“The veld in which the fire started is about 15 years old and ordinarily it would be left to burn so that the indigenous fire-driven ecology can follow its natural course, but there are several concerns.
“These include the fire’s proximity to Eskom power lines, nature reserves and agricultural land. Fire teams will focus their energies on diverting the fire line away from the Eskom lines, and turning the fire toward Ceres so that it burns into an area where it can burn itself out,” she said.
Otto added there a total of 42 ground team members and the Black Hawk from PMDC were on the scene.
“The uneven, difficult terrain combined with the predicted hot weather are sure to provide a challenging day for ground crews; staying hydrated will be of paramount importance.”
This is a developing story.
Cape Times