Wildfires burn hundreds of hectares of Western Cape land

The Western Cape has been in the throes of a sustained fire season, with 32 187 hectares of land burned from October 2024 to the end of February 2025.

CapeNature-managed reserves have borne the brunt, with nearly 19 000 ha affected, while private lands and mountain catchment areas have also suffered extensive damage.

The fire-ravaged Boland Mountain range continues to have the lion’s share of fires, with Limietberg Nature Reserve and Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve particularly hard hit, with 25 fires between the two reserves.

Notably, the Hottentots Holland area experienced a fire that destroyed the Nuweberg community hall.

There is an ongoing investigation into the cause of this fire.

The Swartberg Protected Area accounts for about half of all hectares burned and is the worst affected area, with 15 545 ha burned, including 12 359 ha of CapeNature-managed land.

Since April 2024, there have been 78 fires recorded, and emergency teams have battled flames across some of the Province’s most ecologically sensitive areas.

AlthoughCapeNature has exceeded the number of fires that it had in the 2023/24 fire season, there has been a reduction in overall hectares burnt with 78 000 ha burnt in the previous year.

So far, CapeNature has spent over R12 million on combatting and preventing fire.

While some fires were attributed to natural causes, others were linked to human activity, which included near-misses in plantation areas and controlled burns that escalated.

Increased public awareness and adherence to fire safety regulations, particularly during thedry summer months when the risk of wildfires is highest, are critical to wildfire prevention.

Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, said: “Residents and visitors to provincial reserves should remain vigilant and report any signs of fire immediately. CapeNature is also working on long-term strategies to improve fire management, which includes fuel load reduction and community education programmes.”

Bredell added that firefighting teams from CapeNature, District Municipalities,Volunteer Wildfire Services, private landowners and other stakeholders are at the forefront of fire suppression efforts.

“These teams have worked tirelessly to contain the flames, often in challenging terrain and under extreme weather conditions.”

The Western Cape’s unique biodiversity, including its Fynbos ecosystems, is highly susceptible to fire damage.

While fire is a natural part of these ecosystems, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires pose a significant threat to the environment and local communities.

For now, the focus remains on containment and prevention as the province braces for the possibility of more fires throughout the rest of March and April.

This month has already seen a further five fires, and long-term forecasts show minimal rain and relatively high temperatures.

Weekend Argus