Farms evacuated as fire sweeps through Klein Karoo
Farms in the Prince Albert valley in the Klein Karoo were evacuated yesterday after a fire sparked by a lightning strike last week flared up on Monday night due to strong winds.Farmers from all around the Prince Albert area came to fight the blaze, which destroyed two guest houses and olive orchards on the Kredouw Olive Estate.Four farms were evacuated on Monday and another yesterday.Jeanri-Tine van Zyl, a visitor to the Kredouw farm, said the Oudtshoorn fire department could not help with the fire because it had no fire engines."They said they have four fire engines. Two of them don't work. One is transporting sewage and the other one needs brake fluid," said Van Zyl.The Oudtshoorn fire department referred The Times to CapeNature, whose spokesman, Justin Lawrence ,said the fire was under control "in a natural burning zone". He said 6 000ha of veld had been burnt."We are continuing to monitor as dry conditions are predicted for the rest of the week. Crews from CapeNature, Eden District Municipality, Central Karoo Municipality, Southern Cape Fire Protection Association and Working on Fire are assisting," Lawrence said...
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