By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Caption: A structure lies in ruins in a field engulfed by the raging, uncontrollable fires that tore through the Kouga municipality on Thursday. (Photo: Deon Ferreira).
The Kouga municipality has been rocked by devastating wildfires, leaving residents in a state of heartbreak as homes and farms were consumed within minutes.
The municipality issued a series of urgent evacuation orders as the fast-moving blazes spread across the region. Residents along the R330 in Zwartenbosch, farming communities along Oyster Bay Road and the Kromme River/Riverside areas were instructed to leave immediately.
Further updates confirmed the fire had jumped the R330, threatening the Kabeljous River and the Ubuntu Bricks Factory. Authorities closed the N2 between Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay, diverting traffic via the R102. Residents in the Smithfield/Kabeljous area were also urged to evacuate.
In an update late Friday afternoon, the municipality said sporadic flare-ups continued to occur across affected areas.
“The fire at Vlakteplaas remains out of control, with flames reaching significant heights.”
“Two aircraft, together with firefighters on the ground, are actively combating the blaze. Firefighters will continue working through the night at this location.”
“At the Kromme River, firefighters are actively engaged in containment and suppression efforts under challenging conditions,” the municipality said following a meeting of the joint operations centre.
Kouga municipality said the fire at Paradise Beach flared up earlier but was brought under control.
“The fire at Zuurbron, advancing towards Hankey behind the mountain range, is currently being managed by response teams.
“Between Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay—between the N2 and R102—two firefighting teams, supported by local farmers, are working to contain and extinguish the fire.
“Aerial support will continue to douse fires for as long as daylight permits and will resume again at first light tomorrow (SAT),” the statement said.
Electricity supply to St Francis Bay has been disrupted, and ongoing fire activity is making it unsafe for Eskom teams to access affected areas. The damaged infrastructure includes two downed electrical lines.
The municipality urged residents to remain patient. Once conditions are safe, Eskom will assess and implement a recovery plan. No restoration timeframes are available yet. Further updates will be communicated as information becomes available.