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Strong winds and hot weather have exacerbated the fires, in Franschhoek, into day 5.
The fire in Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands District Municipality has now been burning for five consecutive days.
WATCH | The Cape Winelands District Municipality says a fire burning above Franschhoek remains out of control. pic.twitter.com/FD6H2E355j
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 20, 2026
Fire Services say several fires are still burning in the mountains above Franschhoek. Firefighters faced extremely difficult conditions overnight, as they focused on protecting property.
IN PICTURES | The Cape Winelands District Municipality says a fire burning above Franschhoek remains out of control. Municipality’s Spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto says firefighters faced challenging conditions overnight, with strong winds driving the fire through the Assegaai-bos… pic.twitter.com/oDo9iqohNd
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 20, 2026
“There are currently three fire lines burning high up in inaccessible terrain above the Berg River Dam. A fourth fire line is burning in the mountains above Franschhoek, between the Cape Winelands and Overberg District municipal areas,” says Municipal Spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto.
She says Fire Services report that, while there are no injuries, loss of life, or structural damage have been recorded, some equipment was damaged during the sudden flare-up on Tuesday night.
“The Incident Management Team (IMT) has expressed concern that firefighters and ground crews will continue to face extremely challenging conditions due to predicted hot weather combined with strong winds. These conditions increase the likelihood of further flare-ups, spot fires, and risks such as dehydration and heat exhaustion,” adds Otto.
RELATED VIDEO | Wildfires | Mop-up operations are actively continuing across WC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw51W1ItShs
