Image: Mountain Fires in Cape Town of 2015

Description: This Picture has been named "Into the Darkness" as the pilot enters the dark smoke to drop the water on the fires below, hoping to emerge alive the other side just to do it again. Some Stats: Approximately 4,000 hectares has been burnt. 198 flying hours have been logged resulting in 2,000 water drops (about 2-million litres of water). The flying hour cost is currently estimated at R2.4-million. An extra 250 Working on Fire volunteers have been dispatched from other provinces to support the ground team. Four helicopters, two water bombers and a spotter plane are involved in firefighting efforts. One firefighter has been hospitalised with burn wounds. 52 frail-care residents of a Noordhoek retirement village were treated for smoke inhalation. Five homes have been damaged along Silvermine Road in Noordhoek. (The Tintswalo Lodge at the foot of Chapman’s Peak was damaged as well.) At least 30 households were evacuated in Noordhoek, as well as residents of the San Michelle Old-Age Home and the Noordhoek Manor Retirement Village (the latter have since been able to return). Three mass care centres have been set up to accommodate those who have been displaced: at the Dutch Reformed Church in Kommetjie Road, Fish Hoek; at the Dutch Reformed campsite in Noordhoek; and at the Fish Hoek Community Hall. Please call 107 from a landline and 021 480 7700 from a cellphone to report any emergency. - See more at: http://www.sapeople.com/2015/03/03/cape-town-photos-today-fires-continue/#sthash.TO8smrqA.dpuf
Title: Mountain Fires in Cape Town of 2015
Credit: Own work
Author: SkyPixels
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Attribution Required?: Yes