Keurbooms–Soetkraal Fire at the Tsitsikamma Section of Garden Route National Park

A wildfire burning in the Keurbooms–Soetkraal area within the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park photos supplied

By JP Louw
SANParks Head of Communications and Spokesperson

A wildfire is currently burning in the Keurbooms–Soetkraal area within the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park.

The fire is believed to have been caused by lightning.

It is burning in very remote, mountainous terrain on SANParks-managed land, generally referred to as the Soetkraal area.

The fire has spread over an estimated 10 000 hectares.

At this stage, the fire remains active.

Firefighting teams are implementing a containment strategy aimed at keeping the fire within predetermined management parameters.

Minor damage to property infrastructure has been recorded.

SANParks is leading the response, supported by MTO Forestry, the Garden Route District Municipality, Goukamma Municipality, Bitou Municipality, the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association, and private landowners, including farmers.

Both aerial and ground resources have been deployed extensively to manage the fire and to limit its spread.

Areas identified as higher risk include private orchards in the Langkloof area, as well as homesteads and settlements in the Crags area east of Plettenberg Bay.

Firefighting operations are prioritising the protection of life, property, and critical infrastructure in these locations.

Weather forecasts indicate no rain in the short term, which may continue to influence fire behaviour.

Teams remain on high alert and will adjust tactics as conditions change.

If the fire is successfully contained within the planned parameters, it is expected to provide long-term ecological benefits to the area.

These include post-fire regeneration of fynbos species and a reduction in future fire risk through the removal of accumulated fuel loads.

SANParks will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as new information becomes available.