@plooto tweeted this photo with the words, "Praise for brave #firefighters who continue battling #HoutBayfire #karbonkelbergfire #SandyBayfire in ripping #southeaster wind @vwsfires"
Many have answered a call for much-needed donations for those who have lost their homes in the blaze that raged through Mandela Park in the Imizamo Yethu township, Hout Bay, on Saturday, and which continues to rage in the areas of Karbonkelberg to Sandy Bay and Llandudno.
READ ALL THE DETAILS: 650 homes destroyed in Hout Bay blaze
On Saturday night, the number of homes destroyed stood at about 650, but as the fire continues to rage in Hout Bay, many more people have lost their homes.
According to Hout Bay News on Twitter before midday on Sunday, disaster management revised the number of people affected by the fire to 15 000, with 3 500 homes destroyed. These figures reportedly remain unchanged on Monday.
Fresh Air Hout Bay said on Twitter on Sunday night that they were in for a “scary night ahead”.
Volunteer Wildfire Services on Facebook described how at 2am on Monday morning, “Firefighters continue efforts to suppress the fire burning above Sandy Bay. The fire started early yesterday morning on the slopes of the Karbonkelberg above Hout Bay and continues to be driven by the strong South Easter.”
On Twitter later on Monday, the non-profit organisation said it had been a long night for Table Mountain National Park crews, who were supported by the Volunteer Wildfire Services and Working On Fire. The organisation said that while the Karbonkel Fire looked better, more work was in store on Monday.
By 3pm on Monday, Fresh Air Hout Bay tweeted a video by @ikemoriz of three helicopters still trying to put out the blaze.
Volunteer Wildfire Services further said on Monday that Working On Fire was battling difficult conditions on Monday to extinguish the blazes.
Despite the despair that the fires have brought to the area, the Volunteer Wildfire Services on Twitter took time to commend the “hundreds of people from all over the City [who] dropped what they were doing, rolled up their sleeves and simply did what needed to be done to assist total strangers in need, feed exhausted firefighters and take care of lost an injured animals,” the organisation said on Facebook.
Read the full post here:
Volunteer Wildfire Services commended the spirit of community which Cape Town has demonstrated in the Cape Town fires. Picture: Screenshot from the Volunteer Wildfire Services Facebook page
On Saturday, the City of Cape Town had tweeted that donations could be dropped off at the Hout Bay Fire Station and at the Tula Tula Foundation. In particular, non-perishable foods, baby formula and nappies were needed, the City of Cape Town tweeted.
On Sunday, cyclists and event organisers of the Cape Town Cycle Race reportedly donated the energy bars and drinks, meant for competitors, to those in need following the fire, according to SA Breaking News.
Many have taken to Twitter to circulate messages of how to help those in need:
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