Home » Houses Burnt as Thick Smoke Billows Above Cape Town from Sir Lowry’s Pass Fire

Houses Burnt as Thick Smoke Billows Above Cape Town from Sir Lowry’s Pass Fire

Thick smoke is billowing above Gordon’s Bay and blanketing Cape Town, from the Southern Suburbs to the CBD, caused by the Sir Lowry’s Pass Fire, near Somerset West. Update: the fires are spreading fast, with winds of over 70km per hour, and fire has jumped the firebreak and started burning houses on the mountainside. Four […]

By SAPeople
07-11-17 17:16
in Eish!

Thick smoke is billowing above Gordon’s Bay and blanketing Cape Town, from the Southern Suburbs to the CBD, caused by the Sir Lowry’s Pass Fire, near Somerset West. Update: the fires are spreading fast, with winds of over 70km per hour, and fire has jumped the firebreak and started burning houses on the mountainside. Four houses have been lost so far, according to Volunteer Wildfire Services.

#SirLowrysPassFire. Source: Working on Fire

Firefighters from City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue and Working Fire are working to contain the blaze… but it’s under extremely windy conditions in the region today.

Working on Fire issued an alert saying: “Sir Lowry’s Pass Road closed due to large vegetation fire. The fire is burning on both sides of the N2. This section of the N2 is currently closed to traffic. Closed from Botriver side of Houwhoek Pass

“46 firefighters from the Department of Environmental Affairs Working on Fire programme are assisting Cape Nature in combating the Sir Lowry’s Pass Fire that broke out earlier this afternoon.”

Residents in Cape Town are asked to please avoid the area for your own safety, make way for emergency vehicles and “please do not be a fire tourist”.

The SA Weather Service issued wildfire warnings for the Cape Peninsula, West Coast and parts on the Northern interior for Tuesday afternoon.

Photo below by South African Birding and Photography – Bryn De Kocks.

https://www.facebook.com/VolunteerWildfireServices/photos/a.223974027715998.48258.223952001051534/1507100176070037/?type=3

https://twitter.com/BaardPhillip/status/927854573343182848