The death toll in the George blaze has risen to seven‚ emergency services in the Western Cape confirmed on Monday.

It was initially reported that four people – a baby‚ two toddlers and an adult – had died in the wildfires. But authorities said that three other people had died in the same area.

All seven deaths have been in the Karatara area.

"We are trying to maintain the raging fires at this stage with the deployment and the fire brigades from various municipalities‚” said police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie.

He said that a pregnant woman was among those reported dead.