Media Release: Garden Route Forest Villages receiving life-saving training

For immediate release
5 May 2025

Since the start of April, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Fire and Rescue Services Unit is visiting forest villages in the region. To date, community members from Witfontein in George, Diepwalle and Goudveld (Bibby’s Hoek) in the Knysna, as well as Ruiterbos in Mossel Bay, have received awareness about fire safety.

Among the topics covered in relation to veld and mountain fire safety awareness, information, and education intervention, are:

• Historic wildfire path in relation to their location;
• Risk Awareness;
• Preventative Measures;
• Clearing methods;
• Safety measures in the home;
• Designated and safe burn areas (waste); and
• Escape routes in case of approaching fires.

Several forest villages in the region are subject to high risk in terms of wildfires especially and these interventions aim to make the inhabitants more fire resilient with good knowledge and tips to understand wildfire behaviour, and how to best protect themselves with safeguarding practices.

It is to note that whilst it is important to continuously inform and educate, firefighting authorities will prioritise rapid response to these remote areas in case of fire break out close to, and in proximity of.

More campaigns to be rolled out during May, include:

• Bergplaas and Uitsig, George
• Beervlei, Knysna
• Kransbosch, Bitou

For more information regarding Fire Education related queries, contact the Deon Stoffels (Fire Chief), deon@gardenroute.gov.za.

Diepwalle, Knysna Municipal area

Goudveld, Knysna Municipal area

Witfontein, George Municipal area

Ruiterbos, Mossel Bay Municipal area

ENDS