Cape wildfires trigger evacuations & travel disruption across key tourism regions
Firefighters in the Eastern and Western Cape remain under severe pressure as multiple wildfires continue to burn amid high temperatures, shifting winds and prolonged dry conditions. To date authorities have issued evacuation orders, closed sections of major routes and deployed extensive aerial and ground resources, warning that volatile weather could fuel further flare-ups and extend the fire season beyond March. Provincial officials report double last year’s aerial callouts, urging residents and travellers to heed evacuation orders, comply with road closures and remain vigilant.
Over the past week in the Eastern Cape, Kouga Municipality ordered immediate evacuations in local communities, and dense smoke forced the closure of the N2 between Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp. In the Western Cape, major fires burn in the Overberg, Garden Route and Cape Town regions, including Pearly Beach, Stanford wine farms and Greyton, where winds pushed flames over containment lines. Mossel Bay has reported at least 10 homes destroyed and about 19 square kilometres burned before a fire stop was called early Thursday, with the N2 between Dana Bay and Langeberg Mall since reopened. One of the largest active fires is in the Keurbooms–Soetkraal area of Tsitsikamma, estimated at 10,000 hectares and likely started by lightning, where efforts focus on containment.
Source: Inside Metros
