The 2017 Thornhill wildfires refer to a series of uncontrolled fires in the area around Thornhill in the Kouga Municipality of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, which took place during June 2017. The fires caused extensive damage to farmland, plantations and infrastructure in the region.https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/eastern-cape/2017-06-11-elderly-couple-die-in-eastern-cape-fires/
Timeline
The fires began spreading significantly in early June 2017. The affected period is documented from about 7 June to 23 June in the Longmore/Thornhill area. On 11 June two fatalities were confirmed: a 72-year-old woman and her 73-year-old husband died following a fire on their farm. On 12 June the municipal council declared a state of local disaster in the Kouga municipality.
Location and conditions The fires affected the Thornhill and Longmore districts in Kouga Municipality. Conditions that favoured fire spread included dry vegetation, strong winds, and the presence of plantations and agricultural land which sustained heavy damage.https://stfrancischronicle.com/2017/06/11/thornhill-couple-die-following-a-fire-on-their-farm-yesterday/
Response
In the weeks following the fires, recovery efforts focused on restoring utilities, assisting impacted farms, and supporting the affected community. The incident prompted discussions on fire-risk management in vegetation‐rich agricultural zones and the role of alien vegetation in exacerbating fire spread.
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