News24 | Land on fire: Blaze continues in Kouga, while firefighters battle lines near Franschhoek

Firefighters across the Western and Eastern Capes continue to battle blazes of varying sizes on Saturday as the summer heat scorches the southern coast.

• A new fire was reported along the R102 in Kouga as firefighting teams battle multiple blazes for the third consecutive day, forcing evacuations.
• Three main fires continue burning across the region with Kabeljauws River blaze of particular concern as flames move towards Sonop Farm and Hankey.
• In the Western Cape, fires in the Mossel Bay, Franschhoek and Pearly Beach areas also continue to burn, while a blaze in Stanford also ripped through the area.

Firefighters across the Western and Eastern Capes continue to battle blazes of varying sizes on Saturday as the summer heat hits the southern coast.

In Kouga, a new fire has been reported along the R102 near Fountains Mall as firefighting teams continue to battle multiple blazes across the region for a third consecutive day, forcing evacuations.

Three main fires have been raging across the region since earlier this week: one in the Koukamma area, a second between St Francis Bay and Paradise Beach, and a third between Kabeljous and Jeffreys Bay.

Evacuation orders were issued on Thursday for residents in Zwartenbosch, Oyster Bay, Kromme River, and Riverside.

“After three gruelling days, firefighting teams remain on the ground, working tirelessly to contain and extinguish multiple fires across the region. While progress has been made in certain areas, conditions remain volatile,” the Kouga municipality said in a statement released on Saturday morning.

According to the statement, the Kabeljous River fire remained particularly concerning, with flames reaching significant heights and moving towards Sonop Farm and in the direction of Hankey.

“Firefighting teams, supported by aerial resources, are actively battling the blaze under extremely challenging conditions,” the statement continued.

Property damage was previously reported in the Kromme River and Smith Town areas during the initial outbreak, while the current fire north of Humansdorp behind the Melkhout Substation continues to move towards the golf course and remains challenging due to difficult terrain. The latest municipal update indicates that fires on the municipality’s outskirts currently pose no immediate threat to properties.

St Francis Bay Fire extinguished

The municipality reported that the St Francis Bay fire had been extinguished and was under continuous monitoring for potential flare-ups, while the fire between Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay was under control.

Two additional fires were burning on the municipality’s outskirts; one that had crossed into the Kouga area from the R62 near Kareedouw, and another near the Van Stadens River Mouth from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro side.

Gift of the Givers had previously provided critical support, including sourcing water bomber helicopters to assist firefighters on the ground. The organisation had also dispatched water tankers and provided essential supplies to emergency personnel.

The SPCA was also still on the ground Saturday to rescue and care for any animals affected by the fire.

The municipality said additional assistance had been received from Beyers Naudé Municipality and Working on Fire teams from outside the region, with further external support being mobilised.

Residents have been urged by the municipality to avoid large gatherings in fire-prone areas and to refrain from activities that may pose fire risks, including open flames and braais.

The municipality also issued a warning about fraudulent donation requests, stating it had become aware of individuals falsely representing themselves as municipal employees while soliciting donations from the public.

Franschoek fire

Meanwhile in the Cape Winelands District Municipality, various fires have been contained, but a blaze in Wemmershoek, Franschhoek, remains active. The fire originated in Langrug on Wednesday.

“The fire continues to burn high in the mountains above Franschhoek, slowly burning downhill against the wind, behind Wemmershoek Dam, and in the direction of Paarl. Several active fire lines are present,” said Anesca Roodt, Cape Winelands District Municipality.

“Active firefighting operations, as well as mopping-up in other affected areas, will continue throughout the day.”

And in the southern coast village of Pearly Peach, residents were urged to use common sense and be prepared to evacuate if they felt unsafe as the fire near Stanford approaches.

“Firefighting crews and resources are currently stretched, with two fires active,” said Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill.

News24 earlier reported about separate fires in the Mossel Bay and Stanford areas in the Western Cape.

Officials remain on high alert in Mossel Bay as gusts and winds continue to be monitored, while there was a moment of panic in Stanford after one of the tigers at Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary could not immediately be located as a raging wildfire threatened the facility.

It was eventually found and transferred to safety.