ORGANISATIONS which helped in the rescue and evacuation of animals during fires in the province over the past week need assistance in caring for them.
Tessa Leeuwen Boomkamp, 24, co-ordinated the evacuation of horses and other animals during the Lourensford fires in Somerset West and Paarl.
“My family and I volunteered in the Drakenstein Farm Watch organisation, which also volunteered with fire and rescue operations in the Cape Winelands area.
"A friend in Somerset (West) messaged me and asked what we could do. I messaged an emergency worker friend who added my number to a WhatsApp group and people started contacting me.”
She said things took off from there as she began co-ordinating rescue missions. She said the mistakes made and learnt from in the Lourensford fire rescue helped prepare them for the Paarl fires.
“We have many animals to care for and also need assistance for firefighters working to quell the fires on both sides of our mountain. We welcome donations and can be reached on [email protected] or our Facebook page,” said Leeuwen Boomkamp.
The Emma Animal Rescue Society (TEARS) has taken in about 50 animals from the Ocean View and Simon’s Town areas, said spokesperson Tracy Gilpin.
“We work closely with the SPCA and have a full-time vet on duty, but this has taken a huge strain on our resources. The animals vary from indigenous wildlife to strays and pets, and anyone who lost their pets in the chaos should reach out to us.”
She encouraged donors and pet owners to email TEARS at [email protected] or call 021 785 4482.
The city’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Theo Layne said wind intensity and direction may cause the fires to flare-up and spread.
“Currently, 160 city firefighters, 80 Table Mountain National Parks, 55 Working on Fire, 14 City Nature Conservation firefighters, two SANDF helicopters and one from Table Mountain National Park resumed water bombing flare-ups on the upper slopes of the mountain. Crews will remain on the scene for the remainder of the day and night monitoring the area,” said Layne.
He said the rescue crews were “blown away” by the generosity shown by the people of the province during this time, but cautioned that perishable items they received were more than their teams could handle.