Persistent winds and scorching temperatures have led to widespread fires in Nelson Mandela Bay, affecting nearly 100 areas, including parts of Kariega, Govan Mbeki, Greenbushes, Kwazakhele and the N2 Windfarm area.
On Tuesday, the municipality urged residents to remain vigilant as 98 areas in the metro were affected by fires that have cleared hundreds of hectares of bush.
In a statement, the municipality urged residents to clear fire fuel around their homes, secure windows and doors as well as prioritise safety of their belongings and be ready to evacuate if instructed.
Bay deputy mayor Gary van Niekerk said the fires were currently under control but urged residents to remain vigilant.
“Deep inside the bushes, you’ll find our fire and emergency vehicles hard at work.
“The day started without any fires but as the day went on and with temperatures rising, we currently have four active fires.
“They are all vegetation fires but they are under control.
“The fires in Windermere Road, Stonehenge Crescent in Beverly Grove, Victoria Drive and Happy Valley have just flared up,” Van Niekerk said.
Fire and emergency services are on the ground working to contain the blazes and keep residents safe.
The municipality urged residents to avoid the affected areas as a precautionary measure, though no roads were closed.
“Fire and emergency services are on the ground, wetting down the areas to prevent flare-ups and contain the spread, despite strong winds making it a challenge,” it said.
“The situation is being closely monitored, and residents are urged to remain cautious.”
Meanwhile, after fires that ravaged not only the metro but Kouga and all the way down to Mossel Bay, DA MP Kevin Mileham said he was deeply concerned by growing reporting of Eskom cables and infrastructure being involved in wildfire ignition in various parts of the country.
Mileham said Eskom’s involvement allegedly includes high-level and high-capacity cables breaking and sparking dry vegetation.
There have also been several incidences of cable theft that have caused broken cables to strike surrounding vegetation, or cable thieves starting fires to burn off cable insulation.
Mileham’s comments come after fire crews were deployed in Aalwyndal, Island View, Vakansieplaas and nearby sections of the N2 in Mossel Bay and other parts of the Western Cape.
The fire, which started on a farm next to the N2, in the direction of Cape Town on Monday January 5, was fuelled by gale-force winds, causing it to spread rapidly by Tuesday.
The inaccessible terrain hampered firefighting teams.
Several vehicles and structures were reportedly damaged by the blaze, which at one point threatened nearby homes while residents were placed on evacuation alert.
Mileham said the DA would submit a range of probing parliamentary questions to the minister of electricity and energy as soon as the questions office reopened.
This is to ascertain the facts around a potentially deadly link between Eskom’s infrastructure and the wildfires ravaging the Eastern and Western Cape.
“A particular point of inquiry is whether Eskom’s own technicians, or their sub-contractors, are completing maintenance and repairs sufficiently, and what quality control is being applied to this maintenance and these repairs.
“To probe the link between poor maintenance and repair jobs, and subsequent fires, the DA will obtain Eskom’s records of maintenance and repairs, overlaid with incidences of electrically ignited fires in and around Eskom high-capacity cables,” Mileham said.
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