Fire Hot Hermanus

The last thing you need is a fire on your farm just before harvest time!

Thick clouds of smoke enveloped Stanford and Hermanus over the first weekend in February 2012 as a massive bush fire raged out of control on the Klein River Mountains. 

The fire, which started in Tesselaarsdal, was fanned by strong winds and dry fynbos and quickly spread from farm to farm.

Residents and volunteers from as far afield as Caledon and Hermanus raced around the hamlet trying to keep the fire from consuming any houses.

Reinard Geldenhuys, head of Fire and Rescue in the Overberg, said several firefighters and a helicopter battled to quell the flames.

By midnight on the Saturday an ominous orange glow filled the night sky on the mountains above Stanford. By the Sunday morning the fire was raging on the Sir Robert Stanford wine estate and quickly spread to neighbouring farms.

Farmers from the district and dozens of volunteers pitched in to keep the fire from spreading to the vineyards.

Jan and Madré Malan, owners of Sir Robert Stanford, said they were overwhelmed by the amount of support they received.

“Everyone, neighbours and strangers, pitched in to help save the vines. We are planning on starting the harvest in the new week, and we are so grateful for all the help we received,” Madré said.

Charlie and Julie Crowther, owners of the Glen Oakes farm, said two of their pigs were caught in the fire. “Their skin was burned off. The one burned to death, and we had to shoot the other,” Charlie said.

Riaan Jacobs, head of Overstrand Fire and Rescue, said he suspects the fire started after a homeowner burned the grass around his house to clear it. The wind picked up, and the fire could not be stopped.

The Crowthers said it was like an avalanche coming down, with nowhere to run. “The fire burned 80% of our farm. Even though we lost two pigs, we are very thankful to all involved in coming to our rescue to prevent a very ferocious fire from destroying our home, the rest of our livestock, irrigation systems and infrastructure.”

CapeNature, Working on Fire, Overstrand Fire and Rescue, Overberg Fire and Rescue, farmers, their workers and members of the public worked non-stop for four days to bring the fire under control.

Some six fire trucks, a helicopter, 30 members of Fire and Rescue and countless members of the public fought against the fire.

Reinhard Odendaal, winemaker at Walker Bay Vineyards and Birkenhead Brewery, said his eyes were still red, and he still smelled like a barbecue after helping to fight the fire continuously for more than 24 hours.

Approximately 15000 hectares of fynbos were destroyed, but thankfully no structures or lives were lost.

Janine van der Riet and De Waal Steyn

Source: Hermanus Times