News

MEDIA STATEMENT: Issued George Municipality, 31st August 2016
George Municipal Fire Services has indicated that a veld fire which started in the Die Vlug area (near Keurbooms River)  has now jumped the boundary into the Eastern Cape.  The cause of the fire is allegedly the result of a controlled burn on a private farm which due to berg wind condition s ran out of control.

The George Municipal Fire Services together with Fire Fighting Services from Eden Municipality , Southern Cape Fire Protection Association, SANPArks, Cape Nature and Cape Pine have been assisting with fighting the fire. Although brought under control by late Monday evening, the berg wind conditions for yesterday, Tuesday 30th August restarted the fire and it subsequently jumped the southern cape border into the Eastern Cape.

The Fire Chief for Bitou Municipality has taken control of the approaching  fire on the Eastern Cape side of the boundary. All roleplayers remain in constant contact with each other. George Municipal Fire Services continue with mopping up and monitoring of the burnt out areas.

Currently a spotter plane is monitoring the entire area affected by the fire which stretches over a vast area and the Working on Fire helicopter as well as a private helicopter are active. Dense smoke and extreme wind conditions have made it impossible to give estimates of the damage caused but we can confirm that currently no lives have been lost.