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Cape Town - Plettenberg Bay volunteer firefighter Bradley Richards, who was seriously injured in the Knysna fires, is on life support as a precaution, his stepfather Norman Doyle said at a George hospital on Thursday.
"The doctors and specialists say, as soon as he has stabilised, he will go into theatre," said Doyle.
"He is sedated and is in no pain."
Bradley's mother Theresa Doyle was also at the clinic to be with her son.
Doyle's friends at the Plett South Fire Management Unit (PSFMU) posted that he and another firefighter, Ian Barnard, had been injured when the fire turned on them in the middle of the Harkerville Forest on Wednesday morning.
While the Cape Town area was being pummelled by a vicious storm on Wednesday, fires fanned by high winds raged out of control around Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth.
The catastrophic events have stretched the emergency services who have been using all available manpower and equipment to stop the fires.
Volunteers like Richards and Barnard have been helping to put the flames out, while people were evacuated to safety.
'He is always ready to help when needed'
According to the PBFMU post, Barnard was not as severely injured as Richards, but further information was not immediately available.
"Brad, Ian.... strongs Brothers," continued the message, which was quickly supplemented with other messages of support.
Richards's stepdad said that the 24-year-old Bradley loved helping out at the PSFMU.
"He is always ready to help when needed," he said.
Western Cape Premier Helen Zille told media earlier that a firefighter had sustained burns to 70% of his body.
Doyle said he was pleased with the care his son was receiving, and called the nurse who looked after him in Plettenberg Bay "an angel".
The staff at the George Medi-Clinic were also going out of their way to help, he said.
