Wildfires

Wildfires - South Africa

Billows of thick smoke covered large swathes of sky from Simon’s Town to Atlantis in the Cape Province as fire and rescue teams battled at least 60 vegetation fires on Thursday. Fire and rescue said the city council’s fire teams responded to 60 vegetation fires, adding that approximately 240 firefighters were out from the 30 various stations.

In Simon’s Town, a vegetation fire that started on Wednesday had come down the Simon’s Town side of the mountain and destroyed some properties, with a number of residents forced to evacuate their homes. Thirteen structures were affected damaged or destroyed.

Wildfires - Indonesia

Russian Beriev Be-200 Amphibious aircraft were fighting wildfires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday. The forest fires have been creeping closer to Gunung Leuser National Park that is home to many exotic animals, such as Sumatran tigers, elephants, orangutangs, rhinos, and black gibbons. The planes were leased from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) on October 21 following an official request by the government in Jakarta.