Cable thieves and arsonists blamed for devastating Kouga fires
Cable thieves and arsonists have been blamed for the devastating wildfires that wreaked havoc in the Kouga area in the Eastern Cape since Friday.
Kouga Mayor Hutton Bornman alleges that two of the fires were started by cable thieves and another by arsonists, who deliberately set the veld on fire.
It is suspected that the cable thieves started the fires by burning the rubber off the cables in order to access the copper, Bornman told ENCA. He said the incidents would be thoroughly investigated and that cases would be opened at the local police station.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the mayor said an additional area close to Linderhof was still burning. Helicopters and fixed-wing aeroplanes were dropping water while ground teams were also battling the blaze.
Things were calmer north of Humansdorp, where smoke still existed in small pockets and ground teams were making sure there were no further flare-ups.
A team to monitor flare-ups was also stationed at Kabejjouws, where fires had been successfully extinguished.
Bornman reported earlier on Sunday that all three original fires were under control and that teams had been “mopping up” through the night. The fire on Oyster Bay Road was also largely under control.
“A huge thanks again to all the teams that worked through the night to get this done,” Bornman posted on his Facebook page.
The mayor said it had been a tough five days, but in the process, they have managed to save most properties, with only a few houses destroyed, and no lives lost.
IOL News