Human Interest
R5000 reward after flare causes fire in Betty's Bay─── 08:37 Thu, 03 Jan 2019
The Overstrand Municipality is offering a R5000 reward for anyone with information on who lit a flare in Betty's Bay leading to a fire in the mountains, according to Netwerk24.
Overstrand municipality's fire chief, Lester Smith, told News24's sister publication that the flare was let off at midnight on January 1.
It landed in the Kogelberg nature reserve, starting a fire. Forty-five firefighters are currently working to put the blaze out. Smith said over 250 hectares had already been damaged.
Over Christmas, firefighters were forced to work overtime to get a fire in the mountains near Hermanus under control, reported News24.
The fire stretched between Karwyderskraal and Afdaksrivier, with a young pine plantation in between.
Conditions made it difficult to bring in a helicopter, so firefighters were on the fireline, preventing flare-ups.
Local government spokesperson James-Brent Styan said firefighters and firemen were battling to put the fire down.
Please note that the R44 Main Road from Betty’s Bay to Pringle Bay are closed due to a large fire at Pringle Bay - motorists from Hermanus are advised to use the N2 and go over Sir Lowry's Pass and vice versa. pic.twitter.com/SriOYkobqg
— Kleinmond Tourism (@HangklipT) January 3, 2019
