News

South African National Parks (SANParks) rangers are on the fire line with a chopper about to water-bomb areas that flared up last night in Goudveld/ Millwood. The flare up was caused by yesterday's berg wind and rangers managed to put out part of the fire line. A chopper is on site to extinguish the rest of the remaining fire line.

The flare ups are from a controlled burn done two weeks ago in the area for ecological reasons. The controlled burn aims to stimulate the ecology of the area and also to limit the spread of wild fires.

The Millwood Exit Area controlled burn was done in phases 1 & 2 which started in February 2018 with the first phase. Approximately 160 hectares was burnt during the exercise. Partners in the project included the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association (SCFPA), SANParks, Working on Fire (WoF) and MTO (Mountain to Ocean) or Cape Pine. The SCFPA executed the burn on behalf of SANParks for a vegetation that is between 10 to 15 years old.

Activities in Goudveld including hiking trails, cycling, scootours in the indigenous forest areas are open to visitors. The flare ups are in fynbos patches and not indigenous forests.

Media can contact: Nandi Mgwadlamba, 078 702 9663, [email protected]