Cape Winelands fire: Team is saving properties from damage

The Cape Winelands District Municipality’s fire services continue to battle two fires in the mountain between Worcester, Robertson, and Touwsriver.   

The fire, which started late on Saturday evening due to lightning, still has an active fire line. Emergency services have so far managed to keep the fire away from wine farms and property.

“The fire crews on the Montagu/Koo Valley side of the mountain responded to a flare-up in the latter part of yesterday.  The team reports that through a combination of resources aided by the cooler night air, they were able to bring the fire under control. Monitoring will continue throughout the day.

“On the Worcester/Robertson side, teams are still battling to bring the fire line under control.

“The fire line from Saggy Stone towards Robertson has been contained.

“There is a 1km long fire line in the area behind the Nuy Valley and another of about the same length moving from Penhill towards Worcester. 

“The fire lines are situated over uneven terrain and are in inaccessible areas,” said Jo-Anne Otto, Cape Winelands spokesperson.

The vegetation is made up of mixed indigenous plants which are between 20 and 30 years old. 

The fire line is about 9km long and teams are focusing their efforts on preventing damage to a number of farms in the area, she said.

“They are currently working on protecting Nooitgedacht farm before moving on to Imbadi farm.

“The cool weather of the night did assist firefighting activities. However, the clouds are already lifting to reveal bright sunshine. 

The crew is made up of four vehicles manned by nine firefighters and a ground crew of 10, Otto added.

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