Update
KNYSNA NEWS - "It is still our intention to do a recce flight as soon as the fog clears but monitoring continues until sunset. At this stage we must keep our eyes on the fire.”
This was the latest news on the fire that was reported on earlier today in the Karatara area from the SANParks Manager for Planning at the Garden Route National Park, Len du Plessis.
According to spokesperson for SANParks Nandi Mgwadlamba reports from rangers is that the fire is active and on the southern side of the Outeniqua mountains far above Windmeulenek.
“The reconnaissance flight could not proceed at 11:00 due to thick fog,” she confirmed, adding that observers are on the scene monitoring the fire.
Mgwadlamba said rangers are describing the fire as a ‘slow back burn.’
Spokesperson for the Eden district municipality Marillia Veldkornet released a “fire emergency incident and update” report this afternoon as well.
Read a previous article: Fire in Karatara being monitored
Excluding the Karatara fire, there have been multiple fires in the Eden district since yesterday, Tuesday 31 October.
They are listed below, verbatim, including cause of the fire, status reports and who is attending to the fires.
Fire Hessequa – Garcia Pass
31/10/17 - 18:00
• Fire – Mountain, Lightning
• 7 x Active fires (4 x already extinguished).
• 3 x Still active – High in the mountains. Burning with a back burn.
• Cape nature / MTO in attendance.
• Fire being monitored by Cape Nature.
01/11/17 - 10:00
• 3 x Still active – High in the mountains. Burning with a back burn.
• Cape Nature/MTO still in attendance.
• Recce flight booked by Jeff Taylor but grounded due to bad weather.
• Fire being monitored by Cape Nature.
Moolen River / Karatara
31/10/17 - 18:00
• Fire – Mountain, Lightning
• Slow back burn on the southern side of the mountain. (Attendance by Nico De Waal from MTO and Lenn Du Plessis from San Parks).
• Active burning on the northern side of the Outeniqua Mountains. (Eden in attendance).
• Fire being monitored due to it being high up in the mountains.
01/11/17 - 10:00
• Slow back burn on the southern side of the mountain. (Attendance by Nico De Waal from MTO and Lenn Du Plessis from San Parks).
• High temperature and wind conditions are causing more active burning on the northern side of the Outeniqua Mountains. (Eden in attendance) Recce flight booked by Lenn Du Plessis but grounded due to bad weather.
• Fire still being monitored due to it being high up in the mountains on the southern slope.
• Eden Fire and Rescue are working closely with the farmers on the Northern side of mountain.
Robinson Pass / Ruiterbos
31/10/17 - 18:00
• Fire - Lightning
• Active fire on the southern side of the Mountain, above Ruitersbos community.
• Jan Makampies from CapeNature and Jeff Taylor from MTO in attendance, as well as Mossel Bay Fire and Eden fire.
• Fire being monitored by Cape Nature.
01/11/17 - 10:00
• Active fire on the southern side of the Mountain above Ruitersbos community.
• Jan Makampies from Cape nature and Jeff Taylor from MTO are in attendance.
• Cape Nature/MTO busy with active firefighting.
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
