Worst-in-a-decade wildfires burn 132,000 hectares in South Africa's Western Cape

CAPE TOWN, Jan. 22 -- Wildfires ravaging parts of South Africa's Western Cape are among the most severe in a decade, burning about 132,000 hectares of land, Provincial Premier Alan Winde said on Thursday.

Winde briefed members of the media in Cape Town on the province's response to the widespread fires and water security challenges, with projections suggesting that the current fire season could extend until May 2026.