It’s been a torrid three days for the False Bay Valley as fires roared across the mountain ranges. From Muizenberg to Constantiaberg, from Clovelly to Chapman’s Peak, from Tokai to Hout Bay, massive flames lit up the night sky and a great billowy streak of smoke could be seen from space…
Satellite pic compiled by Peter Johnston
Certainly the worst fires I have ever witnessed in my 32 years in Cape Town. In 2000, there were some pretty intense mountain burns, but these have been worse. Tintswalo Atlantic boutique hotel in Hout Bay was razed and 5 houses were also reported to have severe damage. Residents of Noordhoek Manor were hastily woken in the early hours of yesterday morning and evacuated. They spent last night in various parts of Fish Hoek, some having to camp down at a church hall in the area.
Making it worse today is the massively hot temperature. According local meteorologists, today is the hottest day Cape Town has had in 100 years. According to Timeanddate.com today we are the hottest city in the world….
We’re in for the long haul with these fires. They are widespread and keep flaring up. Tomorrow cooler temperatures are forecast and hopefully a bit of rain…
Photographers have been hard at work, capturing magnificent images that caught the ferocity of the flames and the devastation caused. The images tell their own story.
I first saw the fire on Sunday afternoon when I took my brother to the airport. There was a spot on Ou Kaapse Weg and huge flames on the mountain above Stonehurst…
Photo by Tania Robbertze on Sunday afternoon
By Sunday night it had roared across the Hout Bay Mountain range, becoming an inferno of note, being fanned by a strong south easterly wind.
Photo by Charles Mercer – Hout Bay yacht club Sunday 1st March 2015
Charles Mercer produced some brilliant images…
Chapmans Peak toll plaza Charles Mercer
And so did Gale McAll…
Heroes…
Lots and lots of concerned residents took photos..
Photo by Lauren du Preez Above Lakeside
Monday night above Muizenberg…
Photo by Wayne Turner
As night fell last night, Chapman’s Peak lit up and the fire could be seen from far and wide…this is from Kommetjie…
Photo by Sue Zoltner-Forbes –
Loads of people from the community got involved, including Don Sayers and his family…
Photo by Don Sayers
Apart from the heat and the smoke, there were some other hazards to be avoided…
Photo by Don Sayers
When Ou Kaapse Weg had finally been opened, the magnitude of devastation was clear to see…
Photo by Gavin Finlayson
Photo by Gavin Finlayson
While loads of photos were taken of the fires, all the time, there were hundreds of unsung heroes…
And back at the service centres, were loads of donations of food…
And shifts of volunteers to feed and water everyone…
It’s amazing what happens when a community gets together and all work towards one common goal – Put out the fire.
Right now it is still burning. Helicopters are still water bombing Chapman’s Peak. Clovelly Mountain is still alight.
THANK YOU to our amazing fire department. THANK YOU too to all those who contributed in some way.
And THANKS be to God for no loss of life and only very minor injuries.
Proverbs 21:31
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.
Hopefully, the fire will be completely out by tomorrow or Thursday. I hear additional reinforcements have been sent in from outside of Cape Town.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂