More than 250 firefighters of multiple agencies are still working tirelessly to contain the fires in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in Cape Town. It started as three separate fires on the afternoon and early evening of Friday, 25 April, in the Lower and Upper Tokai areas.
Efforts to contain the fires which were burning in the central and south sections of TMNP on Monday morning, 28 April, continued overnight.
On Monday morning, JP Louw, spokesperson and head of communications of the South African National Parks (SANParks), says while the wind were calm during the early evening, it picked up around midnight, requiring intense firefighting activity to manage flare-ups.
So far, no structural damage has been reported, though around 3 000 hectares of vegetation have been affected.
Louw says fresh ground and air crews are being deployed this morning to relieve those on the ground. Four helicopters are on standby to resume water-bombing operations as soon as low mist and lingering smoke lift.
It is expected that cooler temperatures and lower wind speeds forecast for today are expected to assist firefighting efforts. The fire was burning close to Boyes Drive above St James and Kalk Bay, with the right flank of the fire stretches between Ou Kaapse Weg and Steenberg Peak.
Firefighters are continuing to focus on preventing the fire from reaching nearby communities including Tokai, Zwaanswyk, Noordhoek, and Clovelly.
Cause of fires under investigation
All available resources from the TMNP Fire Management Team, NCC Wildfires, Volunteer Wildfire Services, Working on Fire, Provincial Disaster Management, Enviro Wildfire Services, and the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services are actively involved in the firefighting operation.
Authorities urge the public to strictly adhere to all trail closures and to avoid the central and southern sections of TMNP for their own safety.
Of the three separate fires started on Friday, fires one and two were successfully contained during the evening, with the third one remaining active. The cause of the fires are being investigated, with preliminary investigations suggesting that they were started deliberately.
Anyone with information pertaining to the fire is encouraged to come forward to help the investigation.
- Trail closures: Tokai and Silvermine hiking trails remain closed until further notice.
- Road closures: Ou Kaapse Weg and Boyes Drive remains closed in both directions.
For up-to-date information on closures, visit SANParks – Table Mountain National Park on Facebook.
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