Where were you when the fire broke out and were you immediately alarmed? I was at the Olivier residence in The Point, Pringle Bay when we first caught sight of the smoke rising from the direction of Hangklip Hotel. Having experienced several Cape veld fires before there will always be an element of alarm when you see the fire and smoke nearby during the fire season. However, when we noticed the column of smoke getting thicker and rising up against Hangklip Peak, alarm bells definitely started to go off as the veld around Pringle Bay hasn’t burned for several years and was quite thick and lush.
What did you see/feel when you moved around the area to take photographs? When we initially went to Hangklip Hotel to see if we could render assistance, the fire had already spread up Hangklip Peak and moved south towards Seafarm in the NW wind. There was very little we could do, and the Overstrand Fire and Rescue services were actively fighting the fire around Hangklip Hotel in an effort to safeguard the hotel and its peripheral buildings. I took some photos of the firefighters, the owners and staff of the hotel as they rushed around. Later that afternoon, just as the first rains started to fall, I returned to Hangklip Hotel to take stock of the situation. It was then that I discovered some of the chalets had burnt down, and fire and rescue services were still actively fighting the fire in and around the hotel grounds. Hotel staff and firefighters, mostly reservists from what I could tell, moved around swiftly and with purpose, the strain of the afternoon’s events evident on their faces already. I tried to capture the atmosphere on camera as best as I could. I saw a firefighter take a seat on an old tractor tyre, I could see the strain and exhaustion on his face as he seemingly took a small break from the firefighting efforts, and took his picture. It was only the following day (Tuesday) that I learnt he was Frank Douglass, who had lost his own house in Seafarm while on active firefighting duty at Hangklip Hotel.
What went through your mind as the situation grew steadily worse? We were in Kleinmond on Tuesday morning when we received news of a massive flare-up along with a change in wind direction, from NW to SE. Our concern was for the safety of our family and friends in Pringle Bay, especially once evacuation warnings started to come through on social media and WhatsApp groups. We remained calm, but recognized that if the evacuation order did come we would have to get to Pringle Bay as fast as we could. We were quite anxious to get home and help our family and pets evacuate, though.
What were the first things you packed when you had to leave? Important documents and small valuables were definitely high on the list of priorities. We also packed some clothes, portable valuables and our pets and their food. We shut all doors and windows, switched off the electricity and secured our gas bottles before we evacuated.
Did you, at any stage, feel panicked? Anxious perhaps yes, but not panicked. We knew where to go and the situation was still under control, and although we moved with haste, we were in no panicked rush.
Did you at any stage fear you would return home to find your property had been destroyed or damaged by the flames? No, not really. I was confident we would return home with little to no damage to the house. The house is not situated on the fringes of town, and I was confident the fire and rescue services would prevent the fire from damaging houses, and prevent the fire from spreading into town itself.
What were some of the things you observed or that struck a chord with you? Having seen and experienced the devastating fires in the Overstrand, particularly Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond, have been subjected to over the last few years the support rendered by neighbouring municipalities and their fire and emergency services was amazing to behold once again. That, and the fact that while most of us seek shelter and safety the men and women of our fire and emergency services stand their ground to protect lives and property, despite the perils and danger to themselves.
How did people react to the evacuation order? There were mixed emotions and reactions; disbelief and hesitancy in some cases, while some heeded the call to evacuate without any resistance. There were and will always be those who are resistant as well, and would rather stay to protect their own property, despite the risks and danger, but for the most part it went smoothly from my personal experience.
How did it feel when you were informed everyone could return to their homes? In contrast to the evacuation order, it was rather unclear when it was safe to return again. We saw an instruction that it was safe to return only once we had returned home already. It was a relief to be home again, though, although the active fire line against Hangklip Peak was still raging.
What did the situation look like on your return? Driving through Pringle Bay was a surreal experience in some ways; the lush green mountain and hills were transformed into a smouldering, smoking moonscape, with ash and smoke thick in the air, and several hot spots still glowing and flaring up. Although the immediate danger was gone, the constant flare-ups close by and the raging fire line against Hangklip Peak were stark reminders that Pringle Bay was not completely out of danger yet. Witnessing Overstrand, City of Cape Town and Working on Fire crews, fire engines and helicopters deploying, redeploying or taking a well-earned rest provided assurance that we were in good hands though.
Would you say you had a peaceful night or did you remain alert in case of another evacuation order? Although I was relatively confident we would be safe throughout the night, I knew others were still on high alert and con-cerned that the situation might deteriorate again: it was everything but a peaceful night for most.
How would you describe the damage caused by the fire, do you know of anyone who suffered severe damage as result of the blaze? Despite the utter devastation to the veld and fynbos, including highly endangered fynbos and protea species and the wildlife, I am of the opinion that if it wasn’t for the fire and rescue services, Pringle Bay and the surrounds would’ve suffered tragic losses to property, and perhaps lives. Our heartfelt sorrow and prayers go to those that did suffer loss: families like that of Frank Douglass who lost their own house while he was serving actively as a reservist to fight the fire.
Was this the first time you have experienced a blaze like this? Although I don’t live in Pringle Bay, I have family and loved ones in the area whom I visit regularly and I have experienced and seen similar and worse fires in these areas as well as the Cape Peninsula where I reside and work.