It seems that Cape Town has been hot, dry, and on fire for much of the summer. The latest blaze however has inconvenienced more than just fynbos. Hout Bay’s Imizamo Yethu was this weekend the scene of a post-apocalyptic movie, as a blaze swept through the township.
The fire, which began on Saturday, has affected more than 15 000 people. According to reports, 3500 homes were destroyed. At least two people have died as a result of the fire.
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Another fire began to burn, also in Hout Bay, on Saturday evening, covering much of the Karbonkelberg in flames.
Social media was awash with images of the blazes since Saturday, with professional photographers and citizen journalists covering the progression of the fires.
A fierce fire which gutted over 3000 houses in Imizamo Yethu on Saturday quickly spread over Hout Bay’s mountains
VWS Wildfires, one of the organisations leading the fight on the ground, was also leading the social chatter. The account documented the rapid spread of the fires from this on Saturday morning…
Aerial resources attempting to slow the #ImizamoYethuFire with water drops, while @cptfrs crews attack from the ground. #ImizamoYethu pic.twitter.com/sew7Hi0TJl
— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) March 11, 2017
…to this on Sunday.
Late into the night crews from @TableMountainNP & @vwsfires continue to battle #KarbonkelbergFire above Sandy Bay beach. Pic: @plooto pic.twitter.com/rM8f7HnmCf
— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) March 12, 2017
Cape Town fire photographer Justin Sullivan, posted this Instagram video today, depicting the frantic scenes in Imizamo Yethu on Saturday, as residents attempted to save belongings, help firefighters and flee the inferno.
A post shared by Sullivan Photography (@sullivan_photography) on
A number of other snaps on the social network show the mantle-like glow of the fire from both sides of the Karbonkelberg as it burned through the weekend’s early hours.
A post shared by Devon L. (@devonllywellyn) on
A post shared by Niki Epstein (@nikieps) on
At the time of writing, the fire “looks better” today, but stiff wind remains problematic.
After a long night for @TableMountainNP crews supportes by @vwsfires, @wo_fire & EWS, #KarbonkelbergFire looks better but plenty work today pic.twitter.com/WQYSojPcnI
— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) March 13, 2017
The hot and windy weather conditions this weekend wasn’t only conducive to the spread of the Hout Bay fire.
The wind in Cape Town on Sunday led to the cancellation of the Cape Town Cycle Tour — an unprecedented move for the world’s largest timed sporting event. The goods that were not used in the race was donated to those affected by the fires, and to the firefighters on the ground.
Although this is Cape Town’s most destructive fire of the summer thus far, the city has had to deal with its fair share of wildfires this season.
Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Signal Hill, Simon’s Town, Devil’s Peak and Betty’s Bay were all the sites of large fires this season, to name but a few.
Feature image: Devon Llywellyn via Instagram
