Update:
In its latest update, the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) confirmed that only two of the original four fire lines remain in the Wellington area after a tough night with good progress. Another day of active firefighting, managing flare-ups, monitoring contained areas and mopping up where possible awaits.
According to the district municipality, the most problematic of the two lines is the fire that continues to burn out of control in the Rooshoek area.
‘The choppers assisted in this area, and although it initially appeared as if the fire was contained, a flare-up occurred later in the night that teams could not access due to the very dense vegetation and unkempt terrain,’ CWDM explained.
‘At this stage, teams are damping down the fire lines as the fire spreads into more accessible areas.’
Meanwhile, the district municipality added that the fire line on the right flank above Schalkenbos is partly contained, with a broken fire line remaining.
‘These lines are moving slowly through very old pine plantations and proteas, toward the foot of the mountain, where there is a gravel road,’ said CWDM.
‘Teams are monitoring these lines carefully to ensure that there are fire vehicles and teams in areas where the fire meets the road and is easier to contain.’
Additionally, the fire line above Ouplaas in the Witzenberg Valley was successfully contained. However, the fire line above the farm Wakkerstroom is burning high up in a difficult-to-reach area due to the dense pine plantation.
‘Ground teams are working in the areas where the fire line is accessible,’ said CWDM.
The Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) confirms that its fire services, along with that of several fire service partners, enter day four of active firefighting efforts as the blaze continues to rip through Wellington, reports Cape {town} Etc.
‘There are still active fire lines in all four divisions. ‘Some of these lines are inaccessible by vehicles, which means that ground teams are the only form of fire suppression,’ reported CWDM in its latest Facebook update.
‘In areas where there is very old veld, the vegetation is very dense and there is a lot of leftover dry timber from previous wood chopping, etc.’
Despite the assistance from aerial resources, which were able to douse some of the active flames late yesterday afternoon, the ‘exceptionally high fuel load’ in the affected area caused fire lines to flare up again.
Following a frustrating night in very warm conditions and the arrival of another team and vehicle from VWS, there are currently ten fire vehicles and crews from the district municipality being assisted by two vehicles from the Drakenstein municipality, NCC ground teams, Lewis Bush Clearing, Working on Fire and a contracted ground team from Cape Nature.
‘Teams will evaluate the situation this morning and deploy resources accordingly,’ the update added.
‘It is going to be an extremely hot day across the Cape Winelands, which will make for difficult firefighting conditions.’
The blaze initially broke out on Oaklands farm above Wellington on Tuesday, 18 February 2025. Gale-force winds and the very high fuel loads provided by eucalyptus plantations and other vegetation carried the fire down into Slangrivier, where it jumped and moved into the Bo-Hermon area.
The problematic wildfire has since gutted a house and two sheds and damaged crops, while two cottages were forced to be evacuated on Tuesday night when it ripped through parts of Oaklands above Wellington. Firefighters were able to protect the cottages from catching alight.
Meanwhile, CWDM confirmed that another fire broke out on the mountain’s upper slopes on the Tulbagh side in Witzenberg Valley on Thursday morning.
‘Despite rapid reaction from CWDM, wind fueled the fire over the top of the mountain and ultimately down into the Witzenberg Valley,’ the district municipality reported. ‘It is currently burning into the farmland of the farms Wakkerstroom and Ouplaas.’
CWDM added that three fire vehicles and crews, as well as one ground team, are actively battling the fire as they work to protect the crops of the affected areas.
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Picture: Cape Winelands DM / Facebook
