This statement for the ongoing firefighting and evacuation efforts in Knysna is correct as at 01h15 on 8 June 2017.

It will remain correct until further updates are released by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre (WCDMC).

The WCDMC remains in continued contact with resources on the ground battling the fires and managing evacuations in the Knysna area.

The fire in Knysna is the largest and most destructive fire in a built up area in the Western Cape in recent memory with thousands being displaced. It comes on the back of the worst storm seen in the Western Cape in at least thirty years.

While some areas in the town have already been evacuated, there is at present still NO CALL FOR A MASS EVACUATION OF THE ENTIRE KNYSNA.

To date between 8000 and 10000 Knysna inhabitants have been safely evacuated.

Knysna has a population of around 77 000 people.

Reports of some residents refusing to leave their properties are coming in.

We would request that if emergency services make a recommendation for evacuation that members of the public adhere to the request for their own safety.

Ultimately emergency services cannot be held responsible if members of the public do not heed legitimate evacuation requests.

At present the only areas in Knysna that remain evacuated are:

Brenton; Belvedere; Welbedacht; Nania; Eastford; Green Pastures; Knysna Heights.

The three confirmed deaths in the area was in the Rheenendal area, reported earlier, bringing the provincial storm-related death toll to eight confirmed dead.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) confirms there has been one additional fatality in the Knysna area, reportedly due to a heart attack and unrelated to the storm.

The officials on the ground are monitoring the situation and will inform locals timeously if and when additional evacuations become necessary.

The officials on and offsite will not hesitate to take every action required to keep citizens safe.

Some interventions on the go in Knysna at present:

Evacuees are being taken to various safety sites including the Loerie Park area in town.

Citizens are being transported with Go George buses which have been mobilised.

Additional fire-fighting resources have been deployed to the area to assist the teams on the ground, these include 8 fire trucks from the City of Cape Town, two from the Overberg district and 12 additional Working on fire teams.

Conditions include strong wind and lots of smoke which makes helicopter use not possible at present.

Discussions with key stakeholders including the South African Airforce continues.

Whilst there are communication challenges, with some key infrastructure that has been destroyed, the town has established alternative communication measures to communicate with citizens. The WCDMC is working on improving communication systems in the area but the top priority remains ensuring the safety of the citizens of Knysna.

The WCDMC would like to call on the public and the media to continue to rely on established information channels and to desist in spreading unverified information along non-official channels.

The WCDMC is busy coordinating relief efforts and humanitarian relief aid for all affected areas across the Western Cape following the storm, including and with a specific focus on Knysna.

In addition, a drop-off point for the collection of food, water and other necessities will be established at the Eden fire station in George.

Please contact the WCDMC in the event of major concerns.

- Statement by the Western Cape Local Government