Residents from different areas across the Garden Route have been evacuated as a precaution as fires continue to rage, officials said on Saturday afternoon.

According to the Garden Route District Municipality Joint Operation Centre (JOC) firefighters are monitoring wildfires in areas such as Outeniqua and Jonkersberg.

There are active fire-lines in Garcia Pass, Kruisrivier and Grootvaderbos and westerly winds could pose a threat to infrastructure, according to the JOC.

The wildfire in Gondwana has jumped the control lines and is burning towards Herbertsdale.

“Firefighters will be actively be busy throughout the evening to ensure that they safeguard humans and infrastructure,” the JOC said.

Forty people from Buffelsnek were currently being housed at the Wittedrift school, according to Working on Fire (WOF).

Approximately 300 members of the Diepwalle community have been placed on high alert to be evacuated to the Hornlee community hall should the wind direction change back to a northerly direction, WOF tweeted.

Teams have been placed all around this wildfire to address any areas where the wildfire might approach any communities or structures.”

Seventy-four people from Goudveld area have been housed at the Rheenendal community hall, said WOF.

Residents from different areas across the Garden Route were earlier evacuated as a precaution as fires continued to rage.

The evacuations took place in Jonkersberg, Bosdorp, Sonskyn Vallei village, Rheenendal, Buffelsnek and Protea Valley bosdorp in the Goudveld.

A video by Working on Fire revealed the almost apocalyptic conditions that firefighters were facing, showing a ‘firenado’ emerging from the wild fire and whipping through the vegetation in the De Vlugt area.

These are formed when spinning hot air picks up burning embers, ash, flaming-hot gases and flammable debris, according to livescience.com

While they usually only last a few minutes, they can be dangerous because of the destruction caused by their heat and speeds, the website states.

[Source: News24]