Wildfires raging in South Africa's southeast KwaZulu-Natal Province since Sunday have killed eight people and forced the evacuation of thousands, local authorities said Tuesday.
Fanned by strong winds, the fires quickly spread in parts of the province, devastating thousands of hectares of forest plantation and grazing, according to the KwaZulu-Natal Fire Protection Association.
Huge loss of livestock and destruction of property were also reported. Authorities were still assessing the damage.
Strong winds are expected in the next two days may cause the fires to flare up again, raising the risk of runaway veld fires, said Simon Thomas, an official with the association.
"Keep your eye on the weather conditions at all times.Watch the weather forecast on the television and in the press. And do not start any fires that you cannot stop. If you are in an area where you have seen a fire, please get hold of your local authorities and report those fires immediately," Thomas said.
"Disaster management teams were working hard to contain the fires," provincial spokesman Lennox Mabaso said.
The cause of the wildfires remained unclear.