A wildfire catastrophe unfolds in South Africa’s Western Cape, where over 100,000 hectares of land lie in ashes, and evacuation drives intensify amid ongoing blazes extending to the Eastern Cape. Dry conditions and howling winds propel the flames, overwhelming response teams.
Premier Alan Winde’s SABC briefing underscored the province-spanning scope, pinpointing Mossel Bay for maximum ruin, trailed by Du Noon and Pearl Beach. Amid the destruction, there’s solace in no confirmed fatalities—a small girl in Mossel Bay and smoke-affected firefighters received prompt care.
Helicopter fleets, augmented by army choppers, provide critical aerial assaults. Mossel Bay paused active threats by Saturday AM, yet officials warn of re-ignition risks from arid, gusty climes.
Pearl Beach evacuations prioritize Alex Ovenden and Broadway Street dwellers, funneling them to communal shelters. Overstrand’s Dean O’Neill affirmed life’s supremacy, cautioning adjacent zones of possible orders. ‘Stay alert; this could spread,’ he advised.
Kouga in Eastern Cape remains a tinderbox, with unrelenting firefighting. Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane decried the blaze’s tourism sabotage during zenith season. Friday’s late alert flagged multiple threatened sites.
Experts attribute the fire’s fury to prolonged drought and fynbos flammability. National coordination accelerates, blending air, ground, and community defenses to reclaim control and avert deeper losses.