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Firefighters seen at the scene of a raging wildfire.
The Overstrand Municipality in the Western Cape says they have made good progress overnight with fighting the blaze along the border of the Groeneweide and Panorama areas.
Firefighters have been battling to contain a number of fires in the area over the last eight days.
Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill says the left flank’s active fire line has been contained and mop-up operations will continue.
[GALLERY] The Overstrand Municipality is urging residents to remain vigilant and be ready to evacuate if they feel unsafe, as intense fires continue to rage across the region, particularly impacting Pearly Beach and Stanford:#Overstrand #FireSafety #Community
Picture:… pic.twitter.com/1qi5twbsT8
— Cape {town} Etc (@CapeTownEtc) January 10, 2026
He says fire crews and landowners will monitor the situation as strong wind conditions and high, dense alien vegetation could cause flare-ups.
RELATED VIDEO | Emergency services monitoring fires in Sarah Baartman district, amongst others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu5U1Tuow38
O’Neill says the fire along Pearly Beach has now been contained and there are no threats to the nearby houses. He says firefighters are, however, battling to contain the fire in Stanford.
He says all roads are open, including the R-43 near Stanford, Gansbaai and Pearly Beach, which was affected by fires.
Meanwhile, while fire crews continue mopping up hotspots, community support for affected families is growing in Mossel Bay. This follows the fires that tore through the area over the past week, burning roughly 23 sq km and destroying at least 11 homes.
VIDEO | WC Fires | Fire crews on high alert in Mossel Bay
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 10, 2026
UPDATE | The Western Cape government says the Mossel Bay fires are now under control, though not yet fully extinguished. pic.twitter.com/t8xfpycDkB
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 9, 2026
Mossel Bay Municipality’s Portfolio Chairperson for Community Safety, Leon van Dyk, says a municipal relief fund has been activated, and dozens of volunteers are already sorting through donations ranging from clothing to furniture.
The Mossel Bay Municipality in the Western Cape says several structures and vehicles have been destroyed following a vegetation fire. Emergency personnel conducted evacuations throughout the night in the Aalwyndal area after the fire spread to a residential area. Video credit:… pic.twitter.com/6DMfc9bckd
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 7, 2026
“With regards to help and assistance to people, a fund has been created by Mossel Bay Municipality, so those details are available. As we speak, there are 30 volunteers sorting out clothes, furniture and all sorts and we’re registering people to be able to assist them. We’ve done a lot to make sure that those people that have been affected are actually assisted,” says Van Dyk.
Meanwhile, many pets, livestock and wild animals are receiving shelter and treatment at the Mossel Bay branch of the Garden Route SPCA following the devastating fires.
Garden Route SPCA Regional Manager, Cheri Cooke, says teams have come across numerous deceased wild animals, particularly tortoises, but they are still actively searching for survivors.
She is urging the public to assist where possible, but warns that some areas remain hot underfoot and should be approached with caution.
“Put your running shoes on, put your safety boots on and please just walk the areas all around that have been burnt. All we can do now is look for survivors. Thanks to everybody who has volunteered. At our SPCA, you’ll find chickens, farm animals that were taken in, dogs, cats from all sorts of areas. So we don’t need help at the SPCA, but we need people in the field.”
RELATED VIDEO | Fire crews on high alert in Mossel Bay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abCgfU9xzvQ
