More than 400 ha of vegetation was scorched in a wildfire that broke out in the Banhoek Valley between Kylemore and Stellenbosch on Saturday (15 February).
According to Anesca Roodt, spokesperson for the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), fire services were alerted to the blaze at 11:18.
Multiple firefighting teams were swiftly deployed, with resources from CWDM, Stellenbosch Municipality, CapeNature and several private and volunteer organisations responding to the emergency.
A total of 16 firefighting vehicles were deployed – 10 from CWDM and six from Stellenbosch Municipality – each staffed with two operators.
Additionally, ground teams from CWDM (30 personnel), Mountain to Ocean (30 firefighters), CapeNature (10 officials) and Volunteer Wildfire Services (eight volunteers) assisted in extinguishing the fire.
The battle against the flames was further reinforced by aerial resources, which included two Huey helicopters, one Blackhawk, and one Squirrel. These aircraft provided crucial support on Saturday and Sunday, Roodt added.
Key partners in the firefighting efforts included the Winelands Fire Protection Association, Stellenbosch Municipality, the provincial Disaster Management Centre, CapeNature, Volunteer Wildfire Services, Mountain to Ocean, as well as CWDM contractors NCC, Lewis Bush Clearing, and Leading-Edge Aviation.
By 06:00 on Monday (17 February), the CWDM confirmed the inferno had been contained.
Roodt said despite the scale of the fire, no injuries to wildlife have been reported and no property was damaged.
Concerns had been raised about the fire spreading to high-lying areas of Jonkershoek Valley, but strategic firefighting techniques and a well-coordinated response prevented further expansion.
“Using standard firefighting techniques, excellent teamwork between all role-players and coordination from a central incident command was critical in containing the fire,” Roodt stated. “Lastly, we also had a bit of good fortune.”
While the damage to vegetation was significant, the rapid response by emergency services and their partners ensured that the fire was contained before it could cause greater destruction.
They were set to continue monitoring the affected areas to prevent potential flare-ups.
