Hell and high water as Western Cape battles fires‚ strong winds and massive waves

Scores of Knysna residents were forced to flee their homes on Wednesday night as fires fuelled by storm winds ripped through Western Cape coastal town.

Western Cape local governance spokesman James-Brent Styan confirmed the evacuation by emergency services in the town of 77000 resident‚ but he could not immediately estimate how many people had been moved from their homes.

In a statement Western Cape officials said Brenton‚ Belvedere‚ Welbedacht‚ Nania‚ Eastford‚ Green Pastures and Knysna Heights were evacuated.

"The officials on the ground are monitoring the situation and will inform locals timeously if and when additional evacuations become necessary‚" the statement said.

At least three people — a farmworker‚ his wife and their son — had died in fires in Rheenendalhad outside Knysna.

“These are the worst fires I have seen in the 45 years I’ve lived in Knysna‚” said the town’s mayor‚ Eleanore Bouw-Spies.

Firefighters responded to at least 26 fires along the Garden Route as most of Plettenberg Bay‚ Knysna‚ Sedgefield and Wilderness were shrouded in smoke.

The fires came in the wake of a huge storm which wreaked death and damage across the Western Cape.

Eden disaster management boss Gerhard Otto said all available staff had been deployed to deal with the fires‚ including staff that had been on rest breaks.

By mid-morning‚ about 13 houses had already been evacuated just outside Knysna towards Plettenberg Bay. The N2 between the two coastal holiday towns were closed due to low visibility.

Knysna municipal spokesperson Fran Kirsten said residents had also been evacuated from Belvedere‚ Brenton-on-Sea and Karatara outside Knysna‚ among other areas.

Plettenberg Bay and Knysna were also without power for most of Wednesday because of the fires.

Knysna fire chief Clinton Manual said there was little hope of stopping the fire and officials would continue evacuating all those in its path.

At least 11 fire engines were deployed to the area from neighbouring towns and the City of Cape Town.

Working on Fire has deployed more than 120 firefighters to the area.

Meanwhile‚ those in need of help may have difficulty contacting the local fire station as several people tweeted that phone lines were down.

One woman took to Twitter to say an elderly woman was stranded on a hilltop after fleeing her burning home.

Panic was spreading‚ with some people struggling to locate their relatives.

The Knysna Provincial Hospital was one of the structures which were ablaze‚ a local resident told TimesLIVE.

“The fire began on the one side but is now spreading to the other side of the town and the hospital is on fire. Basically the whole town is burning‚” said journalist Ivo Vegter.

Earlier‚ Vegter said on Twitter: “Knysna is burning down. This is a disaster of epic proportions. I'm stuck in fleeing traffic. Not sure I'll have a home tomorrow.”

Martin Hatchuel said he had fled his home in Fisher Haven late yesterday afternoon to be with his family on Leisure Isle.

He said large sections of the town were on fire and many buildings had already been lost.

“It's a f-up‚” he said. “Apparently the main centre of town is burning.”

The fires came amid a day of dramatic weather across the procince and which claimed at least eight lives to fire and damage caused by gale-force winds.

DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said on Facebook that her mother had fled a fire threatening Brenton on Sea. “She has taken her dog and some papers and driven off.”

Cape Town saw scenes of devastation as trees‚ street poles and roofs were felled by gale-force winds and monster waves battered the coast.