Helderberg vineyards on fire - UPDATE!

February 24, 2009

Well it seems that the fires are still raging in the Helderberg and firefighters are still battling 24/7 to save three of our magnificent wine estates.

Apparently some vines are indeed on fire and/or have been burnt :

“The fires are currently burning on three farms and threatening the Vergelegen, Lourensford, and Knorhoek wine estates,” said Senior Communications Officer, Winston Davids. (from news24)

“This is Satan, this fire,” yelled a female firefighter as she tried to fight flames near the home of Gerhard Grobbelaar, of Wedderwill Olive Grove.  (from news24)

And it appears that arson may indeed be involved - I always wonder why some chosen individuals find it necessary to be so destructive.

“Incendiary devices” found by farmworkers near the Lourensford wine estate last week - where fire teams had fought blazes for several days - have left fire services believing there is a “strong probability” that those and more recent fires were started deliberately …” (from IOL)

And here is a very cool satellite image that shows you where the fires are blazing and how the smoke has drifted across the bay to cover the larger Cape Town CBD.

Let’s hope they get the fires under control soon because this week is going to be something of a heatwave and will most certainly make the task more difficult.

Posted in Estates, Wine News