PHOTO ESSAY
Worcester battles farm fires: ‘We all have to work together’
Farmers, their families, neighbours and volunteers joined to battle a blaze in Worcester over the weekend to protect their livelihoods.
The farming community came together on Sunday in Witelsrivier in Worcester, Western Cape, to protect their properties and livelihoods. Bakkies and tractors with water tankers worked to keep the fire that was raging down the mountain from destroying vineyards and properties.
A farmer runs for a water hose in Witelssrivier in Worcester where 20,000 hectares has been burnt over the past week. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
Farmworkers move away from the fire as it flares up in Witelssrivier in Worcester. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
The fire started on 22 January and edged close to farms in Worcester on Sunday, where 20,000 hectares have burnt over the past seven days. Farmers and farmworkers came together to save properties near Witelssrivier in Worcester. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
Within five minutes of Daily Maverick arriving on the scene, where crews were busy fighting the fire, farmers at the frontline said everyone had to move down the mountain as the fire was spreading too quickly.
Farmworkers tried to protect a section of beehives but had to leave them behind. Everyone moved 300m down the mountain and the battle resumed.
Farmers and their children, farmworkers and volunteers from the area all worked together to fight the fire.
One farmer, who wanted to remain anonymous, said, “I would rather stop the fire here than fight it at my farm further down. We all have to work together on this.”
The fire came close to jumping Slanghoek Road, where several farms are situated, but farmers with tractors and water tankers managed to douse the flames.
A tractor heads off to fight the fire near the vineyard on the left in Witelssrivier in Worcester. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
The fire started on 22nd January and edged close to farms in Worcester on Sunday, where 20,000 hectares have burnt over the past seven days. Farmers and farmworkers came together to save properties near Witelssrivier in Worcester. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
Teams fought hard to make sure that the fire didn’t cross certain lines on to properties. To the left of this scene, people were preventing the fire from jumping over a road. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
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Great info