Firefighting efforts continue in Overstrand Municipality as Pearly Beach and Stanford blaze

Firefighting efforts remain underway in the Overstrand Municipality as crews continue to battle fires in Pearly Beach and Stanford, with authorities confirming that while progress has been made, the fires have not yet been fully contained.

In an early morning update issued at 6.30am on Monday, January 12, 2026, Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill confirmed that all roads affected by the fires are currently open, including the R43 between Stanford, Gansbaai and Pearly Beach, but cautioned that closures may occur at short notice should conditions change.

Pearly Beach

According to the municipality, the fire in Pearly Beach has been contained for now, with no active fire lines reported in the immediate area. Light drizzle was recorded early on Monday morning, aiding firefighting efforts.

Firefighters are currently focused on monitoring, mop-up operations and patrols, particularly on the Uilkraalsmond side, where crews continue to work in dense vegetation. On the seaside of Pearly Beach, crews are maintaining close monitoring, with officials confirming that there is no current threat to houses.

O’Neill said good progress had been made overnight along the Groeneweide and Panorama border.“The left flank’s active fire line has been contained, and mop-up operations will now continue,” he said, adding that the right flank is expected to burn out against an old burn scar from the recent De Kelders fire.

Stanford fire

Conditions remain more challenging in the Stanford fire, now in its fifth day. Fire crews are conducting a backburn operation at De Koude Vlakte (Avoca) to contain the fire within a defined block. The backburn began in the early hours of Monday morning along a line of approximately 9km, and by 6am, crews were about halfway through the operation.

The municipality said the perimeter remains extremely hot, with a high likelihood of flare-ups due to dense rooikrans and alien vegetation. Firefighters are concentrating efforts on inaccessible old vegetation, where active fire lines continue to persist.

In earlier operations, crews successfully contained the fire line from the Die Kop informal settlement to the R43, preventing the fire from crossing the road. The fire also threatened Eskom power lines, but this risk was mitigated, and the fire was guided into an old burn scar near Es La Vida Farm, where it was allowed to burn itself out.

Fire impact and costs

The municipality has confirmed that structures have been lost, but the exact number has not yet been determined. Damage assessments will begin once all fire lines are contained and mop-up operations are completed.

It is estimated that more than 33 000 hectares have burned in the Pearly Beach area, with just over 4 000 hectares affected by the Stanford fire. Since January 4, the fires are estimated to have cost between R6 million and R7 million.

Ongoing risk and community response

Despite slightly cooler temperatures and reduced wind on Monday, fire danger remains high. Firefighters and landowners have been placed on high alert for any signs of smoke or flare-ups across the Overstrand region.

Over the weekend, the municipality confirmed that evacuations were underway in Eluxolweni, with the Eluxolweni Community Hall opened to accommodate residents. Communities including Panorama, Groeneweide and Standskloof were urged to remain vigilant should conditions deteriorate.

The municipality has expressed gratitude for the outpouring of donations, particularly essential goods to support firefighters. Businesses, organisations and members of the public were thanked for assisting crews who continue to work under demanding conditions.