Wildfire rages near Paarl in the Hawequas mountains

A fire still is burning out of control near Paarl in the Hawequas mountains despite firefighters' attempts to control it over the past 24 hours.

"It is being fanned by a strong easterly wind‚" said Cape Town fire chief Danie Wilds.

VIDEO FOOTAGE!! Du Toitskloof - Ongoing#SavingLives#ProtectingTheEnvironment#DuToitskloofFire#PaarlFirehttps://t.co/Cl4GCKdawypic.twitter.com/U7uTU2PnWj

— Working on Fire (@wo_fire) February 2, 2017

Farming communities in the Hawequas Mountains were evacuated from their homes on Thursday.

 The raging fire had closed the Du Toitskloof Pass‚ with traffic being redirected. The pass was ablaze last month too.

Wilds said no injuries had been reported yet.

The province has experienced some its fiercest fires recently‚ due in part to the national drought. Last month it was reported that since the start of this year‚ Western Cape fire services have been called to 620 fires‚ with 90% being extinguished within the first hour of responding.

There have been suggestions that some of the fires are as a result of arson and City of Cape Town officials are investigating this possibility.

Here are some photographs of the blaze captured throughout the day on Thursday:

@antheafrederick@vwsfires smell of fire hanging heavily. Looks overcast across town due to the wind #DuToitskloofFire@KFMzapic.twitter.com/ZZxqluTAeO

— Celeste Adonis (@PepperCE) February 3, 2017

Huge plume of smoke billows off the #DuToitsKloofFire - a daunting sight facing the @vwsfires crew heading in for tonight. @squablong@KFMzapic.twitter.com/PA50bfNUVR

— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) February 2, 2017

Wildfires still blazing in Paarl this morning. #bushfire#paarl#wildfire#N1#R101#worcesterpic.twitter.com/gVCKRD5lMi

— Sebraskinn (@sebraskinn) February 3, 2017

ALERT: #Wildfire in Paarl area. Ground & aerial resources from @CapeNature1, @SAWinelands Fire & @wo_fire are responding. #DuToitsKloofFirepic.twitter.com/MQE60iNutd

— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) February 2, 2017

#WildfireWarning#DuToitsFire Dangerous conditions @CapeTalk@paarlpost1@KFMza@CapeNature1@DuToitskloof@wo_firepic.twitter.com/wLnY0Z1qxA

— Vulcan Wildfire (@VulcanWildfire) February 2, 2017