Smoke, fear and dry taps as fires rage across Nelson Mandela Bay
Fires led to severe water outages in Nelson Mandela Bay, the municipality said
Image: NMB Municipality
Where there is smoke, there is fire. And in Nelson Mandela Bay, a fire so hungry it lapped up strips of open land and left many homes, and two hospitals without a single drop of water.
"And jeez Louise, that was scary," said Leigh-Ann Fourie of Little Chelsea.
She described the fire raging close to the complex where she was staying with her children, with smoke so thick it blanketed the air like "a type of fog".
The smoke was so bad, Fourie said, that they had to buy purifiers to clear their home.
"We are in the middle of the complex," she told IOL.
"Though it is now somewhat under control, it got pretty bad at one stage."
Fourie was one of many residents keeping a close eye on WhatsApp groups to track the fire and see what was happening nearby.
Nelson Mandela Bay has been hit hard by spasmodic fires all week, making residents anxious and threatening homes.
It also caused the evacuation of the police's K9 unit in Southdene, police spokesperson Captain André Beetge said.
The local Animal Welfare Society said the fire had jumped onto its Walmer property, leaving everything coated in "black soot".
But everyone, including the tail-waggers and whiskered friends, is safe, it said.
In the past week alone, fires have affected many areas, including Westering, Booysens Park, Greenbushes, New Brighton, Sidwell, Motherwell, Kabega Park, Sea View, and Theesecombe, said deputy mayor Gary van Niekerk.
Over the past 24 hours, the municipality was battling two major fires in Summerstrand/Forest Hill-Strandfontein and along the N2 near the Wind Farm.
Currently, three areas are still burning, Rocklands, Sherwood, and the N2 Wind Farm, Van Niekerk said.
Fires that have been brought under control include St Albans, the right-hand side of Cape Road, the N2 between Commercial Road and Standford Road and Victoria Drive near the Animal Welfare in Walmer.
Others include the army base and the Constitution area in Kariega.
On Thursday night, residents were warned about a veld fire in Humewood, raging between a block of flats in Cathcart Road and Amadada Leisure Village in Brooks Hill Drive.
Fanned by strong winds, the fire threatened nearby communities, a statement said.
No roads have been closed, but the problematic municipality asked people to stay on high alert.
"Nearby communities are advised to stay alert and immediately report any signs of flare-ups, smoke, or fire activity," it said.
"Public safety remains a top priority, and fire and emergency services teams are on high alert until the area is declared fully safe."
Six minutes later, it sent another alert saying the N2 from Commercial Road bridge to the one in Standford Road has been reopened after being closed because of the fires.
"The fire has been brought under control," it said.
"However, the site remains smouldering, and fire and emergency services teams are on the ground, actively dampening hotspots to prevent re-ignition and ensure safety.
"The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality's fire and emergency services remain fully deployed and will continuously monitor the situation to ensure public safety.
"Though conditions are currently stable, residents are urged to remain vigilant, as changing wind conditions could cause the situation to escalate.
"Nearby communities are advised to stay alert and immediately report any signs of flare-ups, smoke, or fire activity."
More than 20 areas were without water, something the municipality also blamed on the fires.
It said the Elandsjagt and Churchill Water Treatment Works were currently without power due to veld fires raging in the Kouga area.
Kouga, which includes towns such as Jeffreys Bay, is about a 30-minute drive from the Bay.
The municipality said four 132 kV Eskom power lines in the affected area have tripped, with some feared to have been damaged or destroyed by the fires.
"As a result, operations at the treatment works have been disrupted, which will severely limit water supply to several reservoir zones," it said.
The affected areas included the Chief Dawid International Airport in Walmer, adjacent Forest Hill and South End.
Other areas included Humewood, Glen Hurd, Newton Park, Mangold Park, Greenacres and parts of the city's northern areas.
Greenacres Hospital and St George’s Hospital were also affected.
IOL News