The Oudtshoorn Municipality in the Western Cape is warning residents that it will be forced to switch off electricity supply today, should the raging fire in the Outeniqua Mountain move 500 meters closer to the transmission power substation.
The municipality says the fire is currently about one-kilometre away from the electricity substation. Wildfires in the Southern Cape this week claimed the lives of nine people, with hundreds needing to be evacuated from their homes and about 90-thousand hectares of land having been destroyed.
Meanwhile Eastern Cape authorities have requested the urgent release of one spotter plane and one Huey helicopter from the Western Cape, to help tackle raging fires in Clarkson in the Kou-Kamma Local Municipality.
Authorities say lives and infrastructure are under serious threat in Clarkson‚ alongside the N2.
Helicopters have also been sent to the Geelhoutboom area‚ west of George‚ and farmers there had been put on standby to evacuate their homes.
Some areas in Mossel Bay are also on standby for evacuation.
[VOC]