Firefighters finally see light at the end of raging Franschhoek fire

FIREFIGHTING teams reported “significant strides” in containing the raging Franschhoek wildfires that have threatened local vineyards and communities.

“It’s partially contained, and there’s still some active sections and sections where we’re busy with active firefighting,” said Cape Winelands District Municipality Support Services manager and Franschhoek incident commander, Jaco Thuynsma.

Advanced Life Support Paramedic and first responder based in Franschhoek, Kurt Maske, primarily coordinates and supports ground crews by maintaining situational awareness, liaising between fire services and the community to share real-time information, and managing logistical support like access control, meals, and welfare for extended-hours firefighters. 

“A key focus has been keeping the community informed while supporting the primary firefighting agencies on the ground,” Maske said. 

He said that the fire was mostly contained, but on Saturday afternoon, there was renewed activity, with new flare-ups occurring in different parts of the Franschhoek area. 

“The fire is currently actively burning between Matopi and Three Streams. Fire crews are continuing with active firefighting, containment, and monitoring, while working to prevent further spread and manage flare-ups as conditions change,” Maske said. 

Earlier, the Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services reported that significant headway had been made in bringing the La Motte fire in Franschhoek under control. The fire was reported on Saturday afternoon.

“The fire line extended up the mountain from La Motte to the Three Streams area. Cooler evening temperatures significantly aided firefighting efforts; however, a challenging day is expected as high temperatures are forecast, which may intensify fire behaviour,” the municipality said. 

Fresh firefighting teams were expected to be deployed on Sunday morning to continue suppression efforts in areas where the fire line is accessible.

“There has been no loss of or damage to property. There was damage to vineyards; the full extent of the damage is not yet known,” the municipality said. 

La Motte (wine estate) said that the Franschhoek Valley was ablaze with more veld fires on Saturday night. 

“Although we had some fires high in the Wemmershoek mountain on the estate, yesterday’s fire was predominantly in the bigger La Motte area and not on the estate. We are therefore very grateful to say that we are open for business as usual,” La Motte said. 

“Our thoughts go out to our neighbours who suffered extensive damage. We were there to help last night (Saturday), and we hope to continue our support where we can.” 

Ali Sablay of Gift of the Givers said their teams were on standby, as they have been for many other areas around the Western Cape that experienced fires over the last few weeks.

Sablay said they are in contact with the relevant fire department and disaster management teams to see if they require their help. 

He said they are still busy with other fires and drought-stricken areas in the Western Cape. 

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Deputy Minister Narend Singh visited the Incident Command Post and fire-affected Wemmershoek area near Franschhoek on Thursday to assess the situation and meet with teams.

The department stated that the significant wildfire, which started in Langrug on January 7, 2026, has consumed over 17,000 hectares amid challenging conditions, including high temperatures, strong winds, and rugged terrain. This blaze is one of several testing response efforts across the province.

Cape Times