Knysna - The Knysna Municipality has confirmed that two people died in a plantation fire between Sedgefield and Knysna on Wednesday.
Municipality spokeswoman Fran Kirsten said details of the deaths were not immediately available.
Several residents from a local old age home between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay had been evacuated as well as the Brenton community hall.
Kirsten confirmed that there was no rain in the area.
“The only good thing is that there is less wind now, and it is not a gale force wind anymore”, she added.
Fire crews from neighbouring municipalities were assisting Knysna firefighters.
Video: Supplied According to Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell’s spokesman, James Brent-Styan, the fire in Knysna was “completely out of control and 13 houses at Springveld were evacuated”.
George firefighters were meanwhile deployed to assist with another fire in the Wilderness area.
Styan said a house along the N2 highway was destroyed, also by a fire.
While the Southern Cape did not experience the same significant level of rainfall that hit the Cape Peninsula overnight, strong winds were fanning the fires situated in dry, dense vegetation.
– African News Agency (ANA)