Overall Green Forest fire alert in South Africa from 27 Dec 2024 00:00 UTC to 04 Jan 2025 00:00 UTC

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve awareness, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

Forest Fire (9894 ha) in South Africa 27 Dec 2024

Event summary

This forest fire is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the burned area and the affected population and their vulnerability.

GDACS ID	WF 1023184
Countries:	South Africa
Start Date - Last detection*:	27 Dec 2024 - 04 Jan 2025
Duration (days):	8
People affected:	0 in the burned area
Burned area:	9894 ha
More Info:	Global Wildfire Information System

*(Last detection of the thermal anomaly of the fire)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS score click here.

Detailed event map. European Union, 2025. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

01 Jan 00:02 01 Jan 04:03 01 Jan 08:17 01 Jan 16:03 02 Jan 08:03 02 Jan 16:03 03 Jan 12:04 03 Jan 16:05 04 Jan 00:05 04 Jan 12:05 04 Jan 16:06 06 Jan 21:09

Impact Timeline

ID	Score	Burned Area (ha)	Last Update	Source
1	0.5	5549	31 Dec 2024 23:00	GWIS
2	0.5	5771	01 Jan 2025 03:00	GWIS
3	0.5	6484	01 Jan 2025 07:00	GWIS
4	0.5	6550	01 Jan 2025 15:00	GWIS
5	0.5	6927	02 Jan 2025 07:00	GWIS
6	0.5	7245	02 Jan 2025 15:00	GWIS
7	0.5	7419	03 Jan 2025 11:00	GWIS
8	0.5	8463	03 Jan 2025 15:00	GWIS
9	0.5	8593	03 Jan 2025 23:00	GWIS
10	0.5	8958	04 Jan 2025 11:00	GWIS
11	0.5	9224	04 Jan 2025 15:00	GWIS
12	0.5	9894	06 Jan 2025 19:00	GWIS

Fires Joined

This event includes other close identified fires:

Exposed population

The forest fire happened in South Africa , Province of Western Cape (population 3,417,675) . The nearest places are Prince Albert, Oudtshoorn, George, Hartenbos, and Mosselbaai.

Radius	Population
10 km	2900 people
5 km	1400 people
2 km	<1000 people
1 km	<1000 people
Burned Area	no people

Affected Provinces

Region Province	Country	Population
Western Cape	South Africa	3.4 million people

Affected populated places

Name	Region Province	Country	City class	Population	Distance
Prince Albert	Western Cape	South Africa	City	-	23 km
Oudtshoorn	Western Cape	South Africa	City	76000 people	27 km
George	Western Cape	South Africa	City	170000 people	72 km
Hartenbos	Western Cape	South Africa	City	-	88 km
Mosselbaai	Western Cape	South Africa	City	-	93 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name	IATA Code	Elevation (m)	Usage	Runway type	IFR	Runway Length (ft)	Distance
Oudtshoorn	OUH	324	Civ.	Paved	No	5500	30 km
P W Botha	GRJ	198	Civ.	Paved	Yes	6500	75 km
Mossel Bay	MZY	152				0	94 km

Ports

Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
Mossel Bay	ZAMZY	South Africa	93 km

Dams

Dam Name	River	Year	Distance
Koos Raubenheimer	Klein le Roux	1984	9 km
Kammanassie	Kammanassie	1981	38 km
Stompdrift	Olifants	1981	38 km
Calitzdorp	Nels	1981	52 km
Gamkapoort	Gamka	1981	56 km
Tuinroete	Swart	1980	74 km
Leeu-Gamka	Leeu	1981	83 km
Hartebeeskuil	Hartenbos	1981	86 km

Nuclear plants

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.

Disclaimer
While we try everything to ensure accuracy, this information is purely indicative and should not be used for any decision making without alternate sources of information.
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The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.