Western Cape government hails firefighters for battling the ongoing fires in the province

Western Cape Local Government and Environmental Affairs MEC Anton Bredell commended fire crews who have been battling stubborn fires across the province over the past week.

Bredell gave an update on Monday on the status of the multiple fires experienced in Mossel Bay, Overberg, and the Cape Winelands District recently. 

Firefighters in the Overberg district are still battling raging fires in Pearly Beach and Stanford, while the fire in the Franschhoek area has been largely contained.

About 90-thousand hectares have been scorched by at least 10 major wildfires recorded in the province over the past week.

Bredell said that it felt like the province was under attack with all the raging fires of the past week across the Cape.

He said that the fires have left a trail of devastation, with multiple structures destroyed.

"We dealt with 25 fires last Monday alone, and it's big runaway fires. The fire here in the Cape Winelands 17 000 hectares scorched, Pearly Beach fire was 40000 hectares, with winds of anything from 40 to 80km/h behind it."

Bredell added that he is pleased that no lives were lost in the fires.