Runaway vegetation fire on Paarl Mountain slopes enters second day

CAPE TOWN - A runaway vegetation fire on the slopes of Paarl Mountain has entered its second day.  

Cape Winelands Fire and Rescue Services said their teams battled the inferno throughout the night into Sunday.  

Authorities have advised residents not to panic if they see a backburn, which is when firefighters set a controlled fire line ahead of the active blaze to help manage the flames more effectively.  

Spokesperson Jo-Ann Otto said Drakenstein firefighters had also joined the Cape Winelands crews to assist in extinguishing the fire.  

"The fire crews report that the fire line on the left flank has been contained. However, the right flank, burning in the higher section of the mountains, is proving problematic due to the uninterrupted fuel load. The Cape Winelands’ firefighters are considering many options on how to contain the last division of the fire."