Cape Town witnessed a challenging day on Saturday as fires ravaged parts of Table Mountain and Tygerberg Hills, stretching the city’s firefighting capabilities to their limits.
Cape Town fires: Here are the latest updates
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services, succinctly summed up the situation:
“The fire jumped the road in Tygerberg Hills, heading towards Welgedacht Estate. We mobilised resources from Fire and Rescue and the City’s Biodiversity Department, with a chopper water bombing the head of the fire, averting danger to the houses,” he explained.
The Table Mountain blaze, igniting along Tafelberg Road, demanded an extensive response involving helicopters, a spotter plane, and crews from Table Mountain National Park and NCC Wildfires.
By 14:55, the only open flame was below the cables, with the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway actively evacuating guests.
“The Table Mountain fire has been contained, thanks to the swift action of City firefighters, TMNP, and NCC crews,” he added.
Earlier this week, the Tygerberg Hills fire, which has persisted for days, led to evacuations in Kanonberg Estate and Oude Westhof.
Reported early on Thursday morning, this blaze ravaged the hillside vegetation, with 20 firefighting resources, including helicopters, battling it.
Despite the challenging terrain, no properties were reported in danger, and residents were evacuated as a precaution.
The Cape Town fires are part of a recent trend of vegetation blazes in the region, spurred by a persistent mixture of hot, humid weather, and strong winds.
The Cape Town community is advised to stay alert and follow the guidance of local authorities during this ongoing situation.