Fires sweep through parts of South Africa
Fires that have swept through parts of South Africa in recent days have killed at least 18 people and damaged power lines, crops, forests and grazing areas.
The government was considering declaring the hardest hit Mpumalanga province a disaster zone, the South African Press Association reported today.
“Damage is quite extensive. (There is a) loss of lives, households (which have) lost their livelihoods, grazing lands affected, plantations affected, saw mill enterprises affected, loss of jobs,” Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi said after flying over fire-destroyed areas in the eastern province.
Officials estimate that about 60,000 acres) to 75,000 acres have been destroyed near the tourist towns of Sabie and Graskop while about four fires were still burning out of control in the area, SAPA reported.
Five firemen in the province died when they could not get the vehicle they were travelling in away from the flames in time.
Another 13 people died in fires that swept through parts of the east coast province of KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend. Fires also have swept through parts of the Free State.
The fires have hit power lines, sugar cane crops, timber plantations, and grazing areas. Thousands of cattle and sheep have been killed or put down after being severely injured in the blazes.
Fires have also caused extensive damage in the neighbouring countries of Lesotho and heavily forested Swaziland where 45,000 acres have been destroyed.
High winds blowing over remote grasslands grown dry during the winter are thought to be the cause of the fires but there are also concerns that some may have been ignited by humans.
Extra fire fighting teams have been brought in from other parts of the country to battle the flames but it was not clear when the fires would be extinguished.
Meanwhile, about 30,000 people have been affected by heavy rain and flooding in the Western Cape with more wet weather forecast for later this week.
