SOUTH AFRICA: Intense heat sparks fires in Paarl near Cape Town, threatening to destroy popular wines farms in the area

Record ID: 455823

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Intense heat sparks fires in Paarl near Cape Town, threatening to destroy popular wines farms in the area
  • Date: 7th March 2009
  • Summary: PAARL, NEAR CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (MARCH 6, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING FIRES SPREADING CLOSE TO WINE FARMS VINEYARD / VINES IN FOREGROUND VARIOUS OF RAGING FIRE IN MOUNTAIN VARIOUS OF FIRE SPREADING NEAR TAAL (LANGUAGE) MONUMENT AFRIKAANS LANGUAGE MONUMENT SIGN BOARD MORE OF FIRE NEAR MONUMENT FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVE ON THE SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIREFIGHTER, MAWANDE NGAMLANA, SAYING: "It is too dangerous because the flames are 6 to 7 meters high so we cannot do anything as ground crew." HELICOPTER DROPS WATER ONTO FIRE BELOW FIREFIGHTER REMOVES HIS MASK FIREFIGHTERS HOLDING WATER HOSE SMOKE BILLOWS FROM AREA NEAR WINE FARM SMOKE BILLOWS FROM TAAL MONUMENT
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVACO77JBONRLB5CAO1DG4LNZI4U
  • Story Text: Fires broke out amidst intense heat on the South African Paarl mountains on Friday (March 6) and crept towards wine estates along the mountain.
    Popular wine estates such as Fairview, Seidelberg and Landskroon Wine Estates are all located in the region.

    "It is too dangerous because the flames are 6 to 7 meters high so we cannot do anything as ground crew," firefighter, Mawande Ngamlana told Reuters .
    Helicopters dropped water on the fires giving firefighters a break from their duties in the intense heat wave.
    Wind in the region had sparked fears of the fire spreading and about 50 firefighters were stationed at various points around the mountain to battle the blaze.
    The cause of the fire is still under investigation but the spontaneous combustion from the intense heat could the reason. Temperatures in the region have soared above 38° Celsius.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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