Update

KNYSNA NEWS - Charles Lewis of the Knysna Volunteer Fire Rangers has poignant memories of the 2017 Knysna fires.

The seventh anniversary of the beginning of the devastating tragedy is tomorrow, Friday 7 June.

On 7 June 2017 a fire west of Knysna led to several fires, which killed seven people and destroyed more than 1 000 homes and businesses, and left about 10 000 people homeless.

"For me [the anniversary] is very personal. I lost dear friends. That was very difficult. People talk about lost homes and furniture, but they forget about lives lost," Lewis, a strike team leader with the rangers, said.

"I basically worked with people to evacuate their homes. Wherever I could, I helped.

"I'm trying to get sponsors for the rangers, but people have forgotten about the fires.

"People must remember that it's going to happen again."

He said invasive species of plants such as black wattle had sprung up in areas destroyed by the 2017 fires, and although fynbos was again becoming established in those areas, invasive species "were taking over".

"We call it a 'dirty forest' [areas where invasive species are predominant]. The more dirty it is, the harder it is to control."

The rangers operate from Lewis' engineering business in Knysna Industrial.

They had many inactive members at present, and he could now call on only four active members to help bring a fire under control, he said.

Lewis, who grew up in Knysna, said similar groups in George and Plettenberg Bay "have stronger groups of volunteers. They train and are more active."

Oakhill School in Knysna is holding an event in memory of the 2017 fires.

"Our Oakhill Green Day on Friday, 7 June, is a commemoration of the Knysna Fires. It is an internal focus at Oakhill annually to reflect and show gratitude for the rejuvenation and replenishment after the fires," a spokesperson for the school said.

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