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2 houses, caravan destroyed in Rooi Els blaze

Cape Town - A helicopter has been deployed to battle a blaze between Rooi Els and Pringle Bay which has already destroyed two homes and a caravan.

Lester Smith, Overstrand municipality fire chief, said the helicopter was dispatched at first light on Monday after strong winds had died down.

The fire broke out on Sunday morning in vegetation between Rooi Els and Pringle Bay. By afternoon, two homes and a caravan had been destroyed by the inferno.No other property was currently in danger.

Resources from the City of Cape Town, the Overstrand, Cape Nature and Working on Fire have been deployed to contain the fire.”The wind posed a problem on Sunday, but this morning there is only a light breeze. The wind is expected to get worse later today,” he said.

“Things are looking better than yesterday, but with the wind the fire is not yet under control.”

A team of 65 firefighters, as well as the aerial support, were battling the fireline on the western side of Rooi Els, and crews were also monitoring the town itself for flare-ups.

The R44 has, meanwhile, been reopened following a temporary closure. DM

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