Western Cape faces wildfires and flooding as emergency services respond

The Western Cape continues to grapple with extreme weather conditions as emergency services dealt with wildfires, flooding and emerging water supply pressures across multiple regions, with reports released following a busy weekend and Sunday for response teams across the province.

Firefighters have successfully contained a mountain fire in Tulbagh, while disaster management teams remain on high alert in parts of the Overstrand following heavy rainfall and flooding overnight.

The Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) Fire Services, working alongside CapeNature and the Witzenberg Municipality, confirmed that the Tulbagh fire has been fully contained.

The fire was reported on Sunday afternoon and spread rapidly through an extensive area of mixed vegetation. Firefighting efforts were supported by welcome rainfall late on Sunday night.

“There are currently no active fire lines or hotspots, and no risk of flare-ups has been identified,” fire services said in a final update issued at 6am on Monday.

Monitoring and mopping-up operations continued throughout the night, with all firefighting and ground teams set to return to base on Monday morning. No damage to property or livestock was reported, and no injuries were sustained.

Fire crews also responded to a separate blaze in Bainskloof Pass on Sunday, which was successfully contained during the night.

Meanwhile, parts of the Overstrand municipality were dealing with flooding as heavy rain prompted the activation of the Joint Operations Centre late on Sunday night.

Disaster management and operational teams worked into the early hours of Monday morning, providing temporary relief where possible, particularly in Hawston and Fisherhaven. Authorities said they remain on high alert as the new day begins.

No major road closures have been reported, but motorists are urged to exercise caution due to sand and rocks on roadways. Several smaller roads remain closed because of unsafe surfaces, with assessments continuing during daylight hours. Electricity supply interruptions were reported earlier but have since been restored.

At the same time, water restrictions have been implemented in Pearly Beach and Eluxolweni until further notice as a precautionary measure following recent fire-related infrastructure damage and ongoing dry conditions.

Pearly Beach is supplied with bulk water from the Pearly Beach Dam and the Koekemoer Dam. While the Pearly Beach Dam remains at 95% capacity, the Koekemoer Dam has dropped to 40% after a private bulk water pipeline, outside of municipal control, was damaged during recent fires.

Authorities said the restrictions were introduced in light of the reduced dam levels, low rainfall since August 2025 and forecasts of another dry winter in 2026.

The municipality has also investigated groundwater potential in the area and is in the process of appointing a drilling contractor to diversify water sources and reduce reliance on surface water dams.

Under the current restrictions, gardens and lawns may not be watered with municipal water using hosepipes or irrigation systems, swimming pools may not be filled with municipal water, and the use of hosepipes to wash vehicles is prohibited. Where alternative water sources such as boreholes, well points or rainwater tanks are used for irrigation, clear signage must be displayed.

No water restrictions are currently in place in other Overstrand towns, but the situation is being closely monitored. The existing water services by-law, which prohibits irrigation between 9am and 5pm to limit evaporation, remains in effect across the entire Overstrand.

Emergency services in the Overstrand can be contacted via the 24-hour Fire and Rescue Emergency Control Room on 028 312 2400, while infrastructure-related issues can be reported to the municipal contact centre on 028 313 8111.

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Cape Argus