JOHANNESBURG – Residents in the Knysna CBD  are being urged to evacuate their homes on Wednesday evening as fires ravage the area.

Patients from the Knysna Provincial Hospital have been evacuated.

The fire has destroyed several cellphone towers in the town, making it difficult for firefighters to communicate.

Knysna Municipality spokesman Fran Kirsten said residents living in the Knysna Heights area, in the CBD, were being asked to leave their homes.

“We asking those residents and residents between there and all the way to the CBD to evacuate their homes and make their way to the Loerie Park sports field, where they will be met and fed so we can try and fight the fires and save their homes,” she said.

READ: Family of three dies in Knysna blaze

As fires sweep through the Knysna area, roads have been closed off.

Devastating fires in Knysna today. Just hoping everyone is safe #knysnafire pic.twitter.com/QeMEuTXjDX

— Kerry Kriel (@kerry_kriel) June 7, 2017

eNCA