KNYSNA: Remembering the 2017 fires - “We received two calls to evacuate, we smelt the smoke, and at one point saw the flames, but we never thought the fire would come here.”
It was a moment of disbelief when the fires ravaged through Blackwaters River Lodge on 7 June 2017 for co-owner Elmay Bouwer, who is also the chairperson of Knysna Tourism.
She says that Blackwaters is her life, her entirety, her "everything". Her home was also on the property.
Fighting back tears, Bouwer took some time to recall the panic, pandemonium, and ultimate pain that would leave her life and an entire tourism industry on the brink.
Fought to protect her property
“We just never thought it would come. Our neighbours evacuated, and the staff evacuated. We used hosepipes to wet everything and we stayed here the whole day, trying to protect our property from the flames.”
Eventually, as the smoke thickened and the fire grew closer, Bouwer and the other co-owner, Paul Theron, were forced to flee to Sedgefield at about 18:00 that day.
“We returned at about 00:45 that evening, after slipping through a blockade on the road. What we saw was devastating. Everything was burning, my house was gone.”
A fire truck was called and responded, dousing whatever flames they could. But the damage was done and so began the daunting task of rebuilding.
Demanding time ensued
For Bouwer, the days that followed were demanding – both in her private life and in her capacity as Tourism chairperson.
“I never felt like a victim in my personal capacity. I always regarded the fires as a Knysna tragedy, a challenging moment for tourism, something that affected us all – which I guess served as a distraction from my own losses.”
She immediately garnered all the strength and leadership qualities she's so well known and respected for, and set in motion a strategy to save Knysna.
“The plan was simple: it was denouncing a town devastated, and telling the world that Knysna is open for business,” she says.
This was probably the most brilliant reaction of all scenarios, explains Bouwer, as it gave a lifeline to a community reliant on tourism.
Fires 'helped' Tourism
“Before the fires, there were some really valid challenges affecting tourism, and to a certain degree this catastrophe actually helped Tourism align with certain aspects that were long overdue,” admits Bouwer.
“At the time, we hadn't even yet assessed all the damage, we were still trying to figure things out, but we had to make a decision. Tour operators from everywhere were calling to find out if the Oyster Festival was still on, if their bookings were still valid, so we made the call: 'Knysna is open for business'."
She says council made the right call by allocating funds to Tourism, and this boosted the entity's capabilities when it was needed the most.
The tragedy of losses wasn't taken personally, and Bouwer occupied her mind by taking on the aftermath as a loss to everyone and not just herself.
Blackwaters River Lodge was devastated by the fires last year.
'We had to fight for this town'
“Tour operators needed us more than ever. We had to find them accommodation and reschedule bookings – as Knysna Tourism we had to fight for this town and convince people to come. To a great extent the community carried on with their lives, but my focus was tourism.”
In this sense, she said, she had to care. She was worried about accommodation institutions, restaurants, fuel stations – all the spin-off effects of tourism.
“If I didn't care, Knysna would lose out. I had to care”.
Bouwer becomes emotional when speaking of her own setbacks and the struggle to get her life back on track.
Own path to recovery
“I have no regrets but it's very emotional when people all around me are moving into their new and rebuilt homes, and I'm yet to get my life back together. I've been so preoccupied with tourism and the wellbeing of this town that I've neglected my own path towards recovery.”
Bouwer, who is still renting premises in town, is still months away from having her home rebuilt.
Blackwaters River Lodge, which sustained damages to the spa, bedrooms, building structure and her home, are all being rebuilt and slowly starting to take shape.
“Personally, the support I received from Knysna Tourism, the board, the staff as well as staff here at Blackwaters has been incredible. It is through them that I fuelled my strength and capabilities. They insisted I stay on as chairperson of tourism, and motivated me with simple gestures,” recalls Bouwer.
'I lost everything"
“I lost everything in my house, all my clothing, everything. So my staff went around seeking anything that survived, and they found a couple of items in the laundry which hadn't burnt, and they brought it for me, saying that not everything was lost in the fires. It was so reassuring that everything will be ok. And another staff member, who knew I admired one of her dresses, brought it for me. It was such a special moment.”
Humble in her achievements one year later, she says if she could do it all over, she would not change a thing.
“I love this town and I love my job. My life looks easy, but that's far from the truth. I dug deep to find the strength to provide leadership when this community needed it the most. Knysna Tourism pulled together at a time of uncertainty, and we made it work. There are still challenges, but given the circumstances, we did a remarkable job, and the tourism industry was saved.”
More challenges ahead
Looking ahead, more demanding challenges lie ahead for tourism. December was quieter than usual, and focus now is on the upcoming Oyster Festival.
“My philosophy is that the world owes you nothing and that you need to make it work. With this attitude I truly believe that anything is possible, and I will make it work for Knysna.”
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