Fires, Flooding Hit South Africa...01/18/00

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) - Army troops and air force helicopters helped fight wildfires Monday that destroyed more than 50 homes and left a thick pall of smoke over Cape Town. While the fires burned for the third day in dry conditions in the western part of the country, much of the rest of South Africa was drenched with torrential rains. In rural Northern Province, a rain-soaked hut collapsed Monday, killing a 4-year-old girl and injuring her 7-year-old sister, the South African Press Association reported. Days of steady rain in central, northern and eastern regions caused flooding that closed roads. In the Cape Town area, fires hit beachside towns, a township and surrounding wine country. Many of the blazes were sparked by smoldering cigarettes or carelessly maintained barbecue fires combined with very hot, dry weather, officials said.