Wildfires in South Africa today
So far in 2026, 1,359,627 hectares have burned in South Africa — 59% below the 20-year average.
1,359,627 hectares so far this year, 59% below the average. Out of the 26 countries the European system tracks, South Africa ranks 17th for area burned relative to its average.
Burning right now “Contained” doesn’t mean out. It’s the share of the perimeter where crews stopped the spread. In most of Europe it isn’t published; “not held back yet” is an official 0%.
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South Africa experiences significant fire activity, particularly in the fynbos biome of the Western Cape, the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal, and the forested areas of Mpumalanga. The country's fire season varies by region, with the Western Cape experiencing winter fires (December-March) and the eastern regions seeing fires during winter dry season (June-September).
The 2017 Knysna fires in the Western Cape were among the most destructive in South African history. Urban-wildland interface fires threaten informal settlements and suburban communities across the country.
This tracker monitors all fire hotspots across South Africa's nine provinces in real-time.