As firefighters have stabilised the fire after yet another night of tireless efforts to control the blaze over Simon’s Town, it is unfortunate to report that five houses and five bungalows have been gutted.

Residents living in Runciman Heights, Harbour Heights and the Froggy Pond (Murdoch Valley) area were evacuated while the road leading from Simon’s Town to Cape Point was closed between Boulders Beach and Miller’s Point.

Although the fire broke out high up on the mountain on Wednesday, the flames were fanned by very strong winds on Thursday, blowing them down the mountain towards the residential areas, eventually ending up in Murdoch Valley. Helicopters were water-bombing the Klaver Valley.

Four houses on Dorries Drive, one house in Harrington street, and five bungalows in Oatland Holiday Village have been razed to the ground.

Disaster management had evacuated about 200 houses in the Froggy Pond area.

[source: news24&twitter]