Showing posts with label Fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fire. Show all posts
New Life in the Cederberg 2017
Thankfully, some areas are showing their colours - the photo below was taken under Uitrus cottage and shows the famous March Lily (Amaryllis belladonna) that appears after the fire. There were just 3 of these!
The Cederberg Visited - After the December 2016 Fire
The best way to follow up is to go there in person - I did exactly this during my annual Easter holiday visit.
All in all, the landscape remains dry, scorched and grey. Here and there, a sign of new life, for example at the top of the Driehoek River Valley, where the fire blazed down to from its origins higher up.
However, further East along the valley, the earth remains dry and grey.
At the Sanddrif campsite, the hardworking Nieuwoudt family have made the best of the situation by clearing all the burned vegetation along the river bank and creating a wonderful recreation area, which gives the resort a new feeling of openness.
However, walking in the direction of the Maalgat trail, the devastation of the fire is noticeable in the North-east, below the Valley of the Red Gods.
Green grass sprouts where the fire burned the hottest.
All in all, the landscape remains dry, scorched and grey. Here and there, a sign of new life, for example at the top of the Driehoek River Valley, where the fire blazed down to from its origins higher up.
At the Sanddrif campsite, the hardworking Nieuwoudt family have made the best of the situation by clearing all the burned vegetation along the river bank and creating a wonderful recreation area, which gives the resort a new feeling of openness.
Above and below: Thanks to some clever landscaping, the resort with its campsite is looking great.
However, walking in the direction of the Maalgat trail, the devastation of the fire is noticeable in the North-east, below the Valley of the Red Gods.
Above and below: These two young baboons did not make it to safety - consumed by the fire, it seems they died clutching each other. Blackened skeletons are all that remain.
Below: A memorial to someone's loved one, exposed by the fire when the bush burned around it.
However, the fire was selective.
Above and below: Thanks be - the famous One Huisie was spared, with its thatch roof, including most of the ancient Oak trees around it. One Huisie is the former farmhouse of the parents of C Louis Leipoldt in a bygone century.
Thankfully, the popular stone pine 'forest' at the Maalgat parking area survived (below).
Above is what the 'beach' looks like now, near the crossing.
Fire in the Wolfberg December 2016
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THE STORY OF THE FIRE
It started as a puff of smoke in the North, above and behind Tafelberg.
This was a fynbos (veld) fire that burned hot and steadily for several days from 16th December and eventually spewed its wrath on the historical holiday farm of Sanddrif, part of the Dwarsrivier / Cederberg Vineyards complex, owned by the Nieuwoudt family. Passing Sanddrif on 20 December 2016, the fire was heading south of east full tilt in the direction of Matjiesrivier.
There were some narrow escapes for a number of people and infrastructure.
THE STORY OF THE FIRE
It started as a puff of smoke in the North, above and behind Tafelberg.
This was a fynbos (veld) fire that burned hot and steadily for several days from 16th December and eventually spewed its wrath on the historical holiday farm of Sanddrif, part of the Dwarsrivier / Cederberg Vineyards complex, owned by the Nieuwoudt family. Passing Sanddrif on 20 December 2016, the fire was heading south of east full tilt in the direction of Matjiesrivier.
There were some narrow escapes for a number of people and infrastructure.
The Story of the December 2016 Fire
It started with a puff of smoke - and some haziness in the North - that was to grow more intense each day. This was exacerbated by extreme heat and a fierce wind speed.
The puff of smoke was dismissed by some as a 'fire near Eselbank' (a small settlement over the top of the mountain). However two days on, the Wolfberg side of the mountain was closed to hikers and mountaineers as a precautionary measure.)
Fire arrives at Sanddrif
An unexpected change in the wind and the fire split into at least 3 different fronts.
At this stage, the Working on Fire team responded to the emergency call and dispatched two helicopters accompanied by the fixed wind spotter plane. Fantastic assistance also came from the neighbouring farms, notably Driehoek, all members of the Cederberg Conservancy. Cape Nature was also supporting the fire fighters.
One front continued to burn up the Wolfberg and engulfed the world famous Wolfberg Cracks at lighting pace.
Another front burned along the Jeep Track, passing the Shale Band and converging with the third front near the Valley of the Red Gods.
The third front burned along the Driehoek River, crossing the river with impunity near to the former Landsdiens Camp, now called Rietgat.
At this stage, guests at Sanddrif started to evacuate.
At this stage, the Working on Fire team responded to the emergency call and dispatched two helicopters accompanied by the fixed wind spotter plane. Fantastic assistance also came from the neighbouring farms, notably Driehoek, all members of the Cederberg Conservancy. Cape Nature was also supporting the fire fighters.
Working on Fire - at work in the Cederberg - Dwarsrivier and Sanddrif
One front continued to burn up the Wolfberg and engulfed the world famous Wolfberg Cracks at lighting pace.
Another front burned along the Jeep Track, passing the Shale Band and converging with the third front near the Valley of the Red Gods.
The fire along the Jeep Track climbs the hill and threatens the Sanddrif campsite below.
The third front burned along the Driehoek River, crossing the river with impunity near to the former Landsdiens Camp, now called Rietgat.
The fire approaching the river in the direction of Rietgat. Prime Sanddrif cottage accommodation lies in its path.
Burning a path down towards Sanddrif accommodation from the Valley of the Red Gods
Threatening the legendary 'Dollie se Huis' accommodation unit
At this stage, guests at Sanddrif started to evacuate.
Licked by Fire
Finally, the fire arrived at the guest accommodation - the first time in my 35 years of going there.
The fire on the north side of the river swept through Jassie campsite, where my old caravan stands. Fortunately I had evacuated the caravan with about 3 minutes to spare. But one of the lovely old oak trees on the site was destroyed. Rietgat (formerly, the Landsdiens Kamp) was rescued, I assume, by the helicopters.
After Jassie, the fire moved on to the main camp site. Site 1 was gutted and part of the adjoining site. Thankfully, the rest of the campsite was okay and the fire returned to the course of the river, causing extensive damage to the riverine vegetation.
Meantime, the fire also continued above the main campsite, threatening accommodation units Ons Huisie (cultural history treasure), Groothuis, Die Stal and Waenhuis. These buildings were all saved, thanks to fire saving interventions, significantly Ons Huisie, which has a thatch roof. However, the vegetation above was cleaned out.
On the southern bank of the river, the fire crossed the river a few times and arrived at the 5 accommodation units called the Planets. Both Mars and Venus were near misses, saved only by water bombing by helicopters of Working on Fire and also the intervention of farm workers who harnessed whatever water tenders they could with hand pumps to fight the flames. But the fire rages down the river and destroyed the beloved Lapa campsite, which was fully occupied.
A few campers lost their equipment.
Significantly, most of the tall trees, including ancient stone pines, withstood the fire. It was the brush wood and fynbos that had burned, close to the ground and along the river.
The staff were fantastic and within an hour were on site to help campers and guests with recovery and the clean up.
A number of people headed up the the main farm at Dwarsrivier, where the winery staff kept everybody happy in the way they knew best.
The Nieuwoudt family were fantastic and most guests returned to their accommodation or campsite for the night.
The fire on the north side of the river swept through Jassie campsite, where my old caravan stands. Fortunately I had evacuated the caravan with about 3 minutes to spare. But one of the lovely old oak trees on the site was destroyed. Rietgat (formerly, the Landsdiens Kamp) was rescued, I assume, by the helicopters.
After Jassie, the fire moved on to the main camp site. Site 1 was gutted and part of the adjoining site. Thankfully, the rest of the campsite was okay and the fire returned to the course of the river, causing extensive damage to the riverine vegetation.
Meantime, the fire also continued above the main campsite, threatening accommodation units Ons Huisie (cultural history treasure), Groothuis, Die Stal and Waenhuis. These buildings were all saved, thanks to fire saving interventions, significantly Ons Huisie, which has a thatch roof. However, the vegetation above was cleaned out.
On the southern bank of the river, the fire crossed the river a few times and arrived at the 5 accommodation units called the Planets. Both Mars and Venus were near misses, saved only by water bombing by helicopters of Working on Fire and also the intervention of farm workers who harnessed whatever water tenders they could with hand pumps to fight the flames. But the fire rages down the river and destroyed the beloved Lapa campsite, which was fully occupied.
Fire burning along the bank of the river in front of cottage Pluto in direction the Lapa.
Significantly, most of the tall trees, including ancient stone pines, withstood the fire. It was the brush wood and fynbos that had burned, close to the ground and along the river.
The staff were fantastic and within an hour were on site to help campers and guests with recovery and the clean up.
A number of people headed up the the main farm at Dwarsrivier, where the winery staff kept everybody happy in the way they knew best.
The Nieuwoudt family were fantastic and most guests returned to their accommodation or campsite for the night.
Dwarsrivier staff fight the fire with a small water tender next to cottage Mars.
The Aftermath on the Farm
Refueling near the main farm.
Contemplating.
View down on Jassie. Some big oaks survive!
The Fire Rages On
Much of the defensive action against the fire took place around the Planets cottages.
David Nieuwoudt runs towards Mars to assist the workers fighting the fire.
Out of control above the river, the fire rages towards Lapa.
A narrow miss for Mars.
The cavalry (Working on Fire) arrives to waterbomb Venus and Mars.
Waterbombing has its effect - clouds of smoke and steam.
Seen from the top road, Sanddrif smoulders under the onslaught.
The Aftermath around the Planets and Lapa
Above Jupiter Cottage, where we stayed - upwards towards Uitrus Cottage
Mars Cottage - a close escape, thanks to waterbombing by helicopters.
The Lapa and surrounding bush
The Aftermath - Main Campsite and Historical Sanddrif Cottages
Looking up the River
Main Campsite
Dollie se Huis
Around the Historical Sanddrif Cottages
Gently clearing away the burned camping equipment on behalf of the guests.
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