Update

KNYSNA NEWS - Strong bergwind conditions coupled with very dry vegetation most probably resulted in the flare-up of a lightning-induced smouldering fire on the morning of 7 June 2017 in the Elandskraal region, northwest of Knysna, resulting in one of the worst fire disasters in South Africa’s history.

This is according to a scientific report which the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently concluded.

The report provides a scientific assessment of the most likely sequence of events that led to the Elandskraal fire in the Western Cape in June 2017.

Although there were two distinct fires in the Knysna area – in Elandskraal and Kruisfontein - which both started on 7 June 2017, the CSIR report only focuses on the Elandskraal fire, as the cause of the Kruisfontein fire was well-documented.

Readers can look forward to more on the report in the next edition of the Knynsa-Plett Herald, and online.

For those that can’t wait till then, herewith the link to the full report: www.csir.co.za/documents/csir-knysna-report-2018pdf

Read a previous article: CSIR report only tip of iceberg

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