Fire in Magoebaskloof Valley contained, damages being assessed

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The fire that destroyed 400 hectares of farms in Magoebaskloof Valley near Tzaneen in Limpopo has been contained. The blaze also covered parts of George’s Valley in the early hours of Monday morning.

Firefighters conducted mopping-up operations where the fire continued smouldering on Tuesday. The Mopani District Municipality says they are still assessing the damage caused at some farms.

Charred wood is all that remains following the intense fire that decimated parts of the scenic Magoebaskloof Valley.

Magoebaskloof Valley fire contained

The fire destroyed 400 hectares of plantation, including some farms and other property. The extent of the damage that the blaze left in its wake is still being determined as part of the investigations.

“The fire is currently under control, from our preliminary investigation is that it might have been caused by an electric pole. We can as well indicate that 400 hectares of farms have been damaged, including a house around Sapekoe and another structure which kept some farming implements. We have also had some damage to some vehicles, the damage now is not something we are able to quantify,” says Mopani District Municipality Spokesperson Odus Ngobeni.

Firefighting teams have worked through the night in order to extinguish the fire which engulfed parts of Magoebaskloof and George’s Valley, while the fire is now smouldering, they have remained on alert as there is a possibility that the fire could reignite.

Workers who quelled the flames are from Letaba Fire Protection Association, Working on Fire and volunteers from the area.

“Yesterday’s fire, all the boxes were ticked very low, humidity extremely strong winds which we’ve never experienced in Limpopo ever and also the drought we haven’t had a lot of rain, we call it a green drought so there was just enough water to keep the grass green and the leaves but soil underneath the ground is extremely dry so it was a rapid spread,” says  Letaba Fire Protection Association Rouan Snyman.

Letaba Fire Protection Agency and the District Municipality are still on the ground, monitoring the situation.