Fire-Smart Barrydale Volunteer Firefighters

20/01/2026

Good evening Barrydale.
We have smouldering at a high lying area in a position that has previously burnt.
Fire teams are on alert.
Access is not possible at the moment, but there is no cause for concern right now.
If there are any developments, you will be the first to know.

18/01/2026

A few images of the recent fires near Smitsville, Barrydale.

15/01/2026

We would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to the Barrydale community and all the teams, departments and organizations, also those from outside Barrydale from Suurbraak and Swellendam, and the farmers who assisted until early hours of this morning to bring the encroaching fires under control.
Also to the teams that averted disaster by preventing loss of livestock and damage to the water work depot(our drinking water processing depot)
PLEASE however be vigilant until mopping operations are completed as there may still be smoldering tree stumps etc. despite the cool weather and little rain we received this morning.
And a special thank you to Barrydale Neighbourhood Watch members who monitored any flare-ups throughout the night.
Once again, thank you for your patience.

14/01/2026

Message from the Barrydale Firesmart Team.
Dear fellow Barrydalers,
We are in the midst of a bush fire situation, but rest assured, we are in safe hands with all the well-trained firefighters who are in attendance.
We are calling for calmness to prevail, rather than panic. Remember, when panic enters the door, logic and common sense usually goes out the window.
Although a lot of you might have seen night pictures of the fires approaching, fires at night always look larger and more dramatic and closer (with zoom lens photography) than they actually are.
The fire is still a fair distance from the village and where it is accessible, the firefighters will block and extinguish the flames.
Our fire team management and Barrydale Neighbourhood Watch members have been monitoring and active around the clock so we can be given the correct information, so recent posts that imply that we are 'asleep' are not correct or appreciated.
IF and when a call for assistance/refreshments/food/eye drops/lip ice etc is put out, a designated area will be assigned for drop off.
Vehicles will transport donations from there. This will eliminate congestion at the front line.
Tradouw Pass will be open intermittently, but please proceed with caution as there are firefighters and vehicles active on the road.
Thank you so much for your patience and we will provide as many updates as possible.
Stay safe.

14/01/2026

UPDATE: 7 am

I'm at the municipal dam again. There are some pockets of smoldering areas very high up on mountain behind dam, plus minus 1km towards Donkergat area. At this point in time there is no need to worry as the fire is still far away.
Further updates will follow later when we receive more info.
Johan Knox
Firesmart Barrydale.

13/01/2026

Latest update just received!
Tradouwpas Fire Update, Fireground teams of GRDM are currently working on a line that has been back burn successfully, on the Suurbraak side, on the Andries Uys side still a bit of smouldering but no active flames in that area, on the side towards Barrydale there are still an active line going towards the allready burned area, burning very slowly with no danger for spot fires, at Pieniekbos the is a small line of fire running down the valley at n slow pace, we will monitoring it during the night. On scene currently, 2 x skid units GRDM Landcruisers, 2 x Large waterpumpers GRDM, Officer on scene AC Van wyk. ODM S6, S7 and S2 on scene, monitoring any flair ups on the backburn area.

13/01/2026

11/01/2026

🔥FIRE UPDATE ON FIRE HEADING TOWARDS SUURBRAAK FROM HEIDLEBERG🔥

Fire still about 1.5km from the pass, in line with Hoekraal dairy farm, but high up, with a large valley still to cross.

🔥If you spot a veld or wildfire, please report it immediately to the GRDM Emergency Call Centre on 044 805 5071 or via WhatsApp on 081 709 5193🔥

𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝟯: 𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴, 𝗛𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟭 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟬𝟲𝗵𝟱𝟱

Significant progress was made throughout the night in suppressing some of the accessible fire lines of this wildfire, especially around structures.

However, the fire is still moving slowly towards the boundary of Peerplaas, farms and toward the Tradouw Pass mountain. It is currently burning on the Grootvadersbosch farm and is moving in a north-westerly direction towards Peerplaas. The western flank is advancing north-west towards the Tradouw Pass mountain area, which is also the Overberg District boundary.

Aerial resources are on standby, as the fire may pose a threat to infrastructure.

Firefighters on scene include teams from the Garden Route and Hessequa Municipalities, the Southern Cape Fire Protection Agency, CapeNature, the private landowner, and Working on Fire.

Issued by GRDM Communications

16/12/2025

11.20 on a windy and hot Tuesday (Day of Reconciliation) and a call came out regarding a fire on the hill between Smitsville and High Level Road, Barrydale.
Within minutes, Barrydale volunteer firefighters, Fire and Rescue, Barrydale Neighbourhood Watch members, and SAPS were on scene and roughly an hour later the flames were extinguished.
One of the 650lt skid units (bakkie sakkies) "thanks to Mayor Francois du Rand was put to use and did it's job"-quote by Deon van Tonder.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱. 🤩