While South Africa have been doing it easy on the cricket pitch, quick Dale Steyn revealed the extent of the off-field challenges facing them this Cricket World Cup.

Steyn's side have coasted to 257- and 201-run victories over West Indies and Ireland respectively, ahead of a clash with Pakistan in Auckland on Saturday.

But the fiery quick revealed his mind has been elsewhere, with his home under threat of a bushfire in South Africa.

"The scariest part came about 3:30 in the morning in Cape Town. I don't know what time it was in Canberra," Steyn said on Friday.

"But the people looking after my house called me and said, 'Listen, you've got five minutes we're evacuating. What do you want us to take out of your house?' I've never been more scared in my life. 

"I'm sitting halfway across the world, and everything that I've ever earned or gotten in my life, every wicket, every ball, every bit of clothing in my 31 years is in that house ... they've got five minutes to take everything out. 

"I was pretty much s******* myself."

Steyn and team-mate Faf Du Plessis were among the affected Proteas players, tweeting pictures of the fire near their respective homes.

Both still played against the Irish and put in stellar performances, Du Plessis making a run-a-ball 109 before Steyn snared 2-39 off eight overs - including the wickets of Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce.

Strike bowler Steyn has five wickets from four matches, behind team-mate Kyle Abbott (six) - who has replaced the injured Vernon Philander - and well in arrears of tournament leader Tim Southee (13).

Despite that, Steyn feels his output has been above par.

"I don't think I've bowled too badly," the 31-year-old said. 

"I think against Zimbabwe I actually wanted to bowl quite quick and run in and try to knock them over, and I don't think it was quite the right strategy on that wicket. 

"It was a bit slow, and their bowlers proved to be a handful. Just by getting the ball in the right area, good use of the slow ball and so on, I just ignored that instinct, and just wanted to run in and blast them where it didn't work. 

"After that I think I got better and better."