South Africa: Cape Town, A City Under Fire

Assessing the Human, Economic, and Ecological Impacts of Wildfires in the City of Cape Town (2022-2025).

Special Report Written By Bhekisisa Mncube

This article focuses on the various impacts of wildfires on the human population, economy, and ecology of the Western Cape, particularly the City of Cape Town. It examines the measures to mitigate this escalating climate change crisis of Trumpian proportions.

The Scale and Seasonality of the Crisis

In South Africa’s fire-prone Western Cape province, Cape Town City, a magnet for foreign tourists, has witnessed an alarming wildfire surge between 2022 - 2025. These fires, both in frequency and ferocity, have scorched natural landscapes and disrupted City life, with over 12,000 vegetation fires recorded in 2024 alone, up from 8,462 in 2020. Structural fires have also surged, rising from 3,866 to 4,755 incidents. From December to April, the official fire season in Cape Town and Western Cape province, in general, has stretched firefighting resources and intensified ecological and human vulnerabilities.

In November 2023, a fire on Saturday night in Peck’s Valley above Muizenberg, Cape Town, burnt about 60-100 hectares of mountainside, heralding the beginning of the fire season in the Western Cape, which officials warn will be the most extreme since 2015.

In April 2024, a devastating fire swept through the Kayamandi informal settlement near Stellenbosch, displacing approximately 1,500 residents. The blaze, intensified by gale-force winds, destroyed numerous homes, leaving families without shelter. Ali Sablay, project manager for the Gift of the Givers Foundation, described the scene as "total destruction," noting the urgent need for evacuation due to hazardous conditions. Residents were relocated to local halls, where they received emergency assistance, including hot meals, blankets, and hygiene products.

Since April 2024, 78 fires have been recorded, and emergency teams have battled flames across some of the province's most ecologically sensitive areas. Although CapeNature has exceeded its number of fires in the 2023/24 fire season. In the process, over 32,000 ha scorched in Western Cape fire season. CapeNature spent over R12 million during that period on combatting and preventing fire.

Overall, the City of Cape Town says its fire teams have responded to over 13,000 incidents between October 2023 and January 2024. This marked an increase of more than 10% from the previous year.

Notably, in December 2023, over 300 firefighters battled a wildfire on the slopes near Simon's Town, approximately 40 kilometres south of Cape Town. The blaze threatened residential areas, leading to evacuations, and injured five firefighters, with two hospitalised. These fires have threatened the City's rich biodiversity and posed significant human life and property risks.

In late February 2025, Cape Town's Table Mountain (New7Wonders of Nature, a distinction it earned in November 2011 following a global poll that attracted over 500 million votes) was engulfed by a significant wildfire that ignited in the early hours of the 25th in the Newlands Ravine area. Fanned by strong coastal winds and exacerbated by dry summer conditions, the fire rapidly spread towards Devil's Peak and the City Bowl, threatening residential areas and iconic landmarks.

South African National Parks (SANParks) reported that 115 firefighters, supported by four helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft, were deployed to combat the blaze. The challenging terrain and unpredictable wind patterns complicated suppression efforts, necessitating continuous aerial and ground operations.

Human Impact: Lives Disrupted and Health Compromised

The wildfires have displaced numerous communities, particularly those residing in informal settlements on the urban fringes. In 2023, multiple fires in the Cape Flats and other informal settlements left thousands homeless. For example, a single fire in Phola Park, Philippi, destroyed hundreds of shacks and left more than 1,000 people without shelter.

Throughout Cape Town, fires displaced hundreds more over the holiday, with some incidents destroying over 100 homes in a single event. According to a study titled: “The Psychological and Mental Health Consequences of Climate Change In South Africa, wildfires are common in South Africa and can have devastating consequences, such as ... displacement, injuries and deaths.”

The study argues that these changes will continue to drive psychological suffering for exposed communities who have lost property, suffered the death of a family member or friend, or been displaced by these catastrophes. The pervasive smoke from the fires has significantly deteriorated air quality, exacerbating respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.

International research has clearly demonstrated the significant psychological implications of wildfires, including increased rates and symptoms of paranoia, somatisation, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking. For example, a study published in Frontiers in Public Health found: "Compared to a control group, persons exposed to wildfires in Greece were observed to have significantly higher somatisation, depression and anxiety symptoms, and higher levels of paranoia, hostility, and phobic anxiety... Three to 4 years after the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires in Australia (2009), 16–22% of individuals in communities affected by the fires were still found to meet the criteria for PTSD, and 13% suffered from major depression, indicating that mental health effects are still measurable several years after the event."

Furthermore, according to the Nature Sustainability journal study, “wildfires [also] harm human health primarily through wildfire smoke (for example, toxic gases and particles), of which ~90% of the total particle mass is comprised of fine particulate matter with diameters ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)7.”

Economic Impact & Hole in the City’s Pockets

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s 2025 SmartAgri Barometer reports that the 2024-2025 wildfire season was extremely busy, with multiple fires often burning simultaneously and causing significant damage to agricultural land. The document discusses how wildfires, intensified by climate change, have harmed crops, orchards, and water catchments critical for fruit production in regions like Stellenbosch, Robertson, and Paarl but does not quantify these losses in rands (local currency).

Tourism, another key pillar of the economy, has also been affected, although no official figures on losses are publicly available. Cape Town, often regarded as the crown jewel of South African tourism, recorded a milestone in 2024 when Cape Town International Airport alone welcomed over 3 million international arrivals, marking a 10% increase compared to 2023.

However, multiple reports confirm that, due to ongoing wildfires in early 2025, several popular hiking trails in Table Mountain National Park, including Newlands, Kirstenbosch, Devils Peak, and Maclears Beacon, were closed for extended periods to ensure visitor safety and support firefighting operations. SANParks and City of Cape Town officials repeatedly urged the public to avoid these areas, highlighting the direct impact on access to major tourist attractions.

In response to this growing threat, the Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality has proposed a substantial increase in its annual budget to strengthen firefighting capabilities. This includes an allocation of R17.2 million for increased staffing and resources, along with an additional R3.6 million to enhance the capacity of the Public Emergency Communication Centre.

Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Safety and Security, JP Smith, told Eye Witness News ((EWN) on 9 March 2025 that the City confirmed the proposed increase in its annual budget, which is available for the public comment. "As Cape Town continues to grow and evolve, its fire department is adapting to meet the changing needs of the community, and the city is proactively investing in its emergency services, demonstrating its dedication to protecting its residents and responding to emerging challenges," Smith added that the City's proactive investment in emergency services demonstrates its dedication to protecting its residents and responding to emerging climate change-related challenges.

Ecological Damage

City officials and environmental scientists warn that these fires represent a local crisis and a harbinger of climate-driven extremes yet to come. According to the State of Wildfires 2023–2024 Report (Matthew W. Jones et al.) during the 2023–2024 fire season, 3.9×106 km2 burned globally, slightly below the average of previous seasons, but fire carbon (C) emissions were 16 % above average, totalling 2.4 Pg C. Global fire C emissions were increased by record emissions in Canadian boreal forests (over 9 times the average) and reduced by low emissions from African savannahs.

At home, ecologist Dr Jasper Slingsby explains that “fynbos and the Cape Floristic Region are the richest temperate flora in the world, making up roughly 3% of all known vascular plant species on the planet.” In perspective, in an area less than 1% of the continent, more than 8,500 species of fynbos make up about 20% of Africa's flora. Dr Slingsby highlighted that "too frequent fire and many species do not get time to reproduce; too infrequent fire and plants senesce and/or are invaded by thicket and forest species, eventually excluding fire." He further emphasised that extreme postfire weather conditions, such as prolonged droughts and heatwaves, are becoming more frequent and intense, adversely affecting species diversity in the fynbos biome.

The Colossal Link Between Wildfires and Climate Change

Climate change has increased temperatures and prolonged droughts in the region, creating ideal wildfire conditions. The South African Journal of Science reports that mean temperatures in South Africa have increased by about +0.25–0.35°C per decade in recent decades, with some regions experiencing even higher rates. According to Dr Natalia Flores-Quiroz from the Fire Research Unit in the Faculty of Engineering at Stellenbosch University (SU), “climate change and land use are two main reasons why we have seen more wildland fires. Dr Flores-Quiroz added: “On the one hand, climate change produces higher temperatures, droughts, low humidity and strong winds. All these factors dry the vegetation and make it easy to ignite. This will increase the rate at which fire spreads. These factors also make the fire seasons last longer.”

Human Negligence

However, human activities, including illegal burning and negligence, have also contributed. Public awareness campaigns have been initiated, yet changing behaviour remains a challenge. Anton Bredell, the Western Cape MEC for local government, environmental affairs, and development planning, told the Daily Maverick in 2023: “About 97% of fires in the region were caused by human influence, either intentionally or through negligence.” The Working on Fire – Kishugu Joint Venture, in partnership with Provincial Disaster Management and the Cape Winelands District Municipality, officially launched its annual Fire Awareness Campaign in Stellenbosch on Friday, 13 October, 2023.

“The Fire is Everyone’s Fight" aimed to educate communities about fire prevention and safety, though changing behaviour remains a significant challenge. The decision to launch the campaign in the Cape Winelands Region is a direct response to the alarming number of fires recorded in this area during the previous summer fire season. The campaign intends to empower local communities to take preventative measures against wildfires through a series of educational activities and workshops.

Government Response: Measures and Shortcomings: Firefighting Efforts

In 2024, the Western Cape Provincial Government introduced the Integrated Fire Management Strategy to better coordinate efforts across departments, municipalities, and communities. The strategy emphasises proactive risk assessments, improved planning for high-risk areas, and international best practices, such as those from California's CalFire, to inform local approaches.

Thus, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Provincial Government have significantly invested in firefighting resources. This includes the acquisition of new helicopters, such as the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, and expanding rapid-response aerial and ground teams through partnerships with private companies and organisations like Kishugu Aviation and NCC Wildfires. According to NCC Wildfires, the UH-60 Black Hawk is one of its kind in South Africa that provides wildfire services.

Moreover, the Western Cape Provincial Government, the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, together with the City of Cape Town (Metropolitan Municipality) and the Cape Winelands District Municipality, are together providing a total of 24 aerial resources, which includes helicopters, fixed wing bombers and spotter aircraft, all ready to respond quickly to emergencies.

In terms of budget, the Western Cape Provincial Government has also stepped up its wildfire preparedness, increasing its aerial firefighting budget to R19 million in 2024, up from R16 million the previous year. According to Bredell, MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, the province has readied a combined force of 2,300 professional and contract-based firefighters working in partnership with municipalities for the 2024 fire season. At the time of publication, data on preparedness measures for the 2025/26 fire season had yet to be released. Additionally, the City of Cape Town’s 2024/25 budget outlines ongoing investments in equipment, overtime for firefighters, and mutual aid agreements to strengthen response capabilities.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

The wildfires that swept through the Western Cape, particularly the City of Cape Town, between 2022 and 2025 have underscored the urgent need for integrated strategies that address climate change, reimagine urban planning, and reinforce community resilience. As the City and province grapple with the aftermath, the focus must shift towards sustainable, inclusive responses—solutions that balance ecological preservation with human safety and economic stability.

This sentiment is echoed by MEC Bredell, who stressed that: "Residents and visitors to provincial reserves should remain vigilant and report any signs of fire immediately. CapeNature is also working on long-term strategies to improve fire management, which includes fuel load reduction and community education programmes... These teams have worked tirelessly to contain the flames, often in challenging terrain and extreme weather conditions."

The hard-won lessons from this period should serve as a blueprint for other provinces and regions that will inevitably face similar threats. It is no longer a question of if but when. Mitigating the effects of climate change is too critical and urgent to be left solely to politicians and policymakers. We must cultivate grassroots capacity to confront the crisis head-on. Better late than never; still better before another city is on fire.

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