Nearby municipalities pledge to help Cape Town battle blaze
Choppers take to the skies at first light to water-bomb fire lines in Scarborough and Glencairn
22 December 2023 - 09:13
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The Simon’s Town fire had razed about 1,140ha of land by Thursday. Picture: SUPPLIED
Crews dealing with the Simon’s Town and Glencairn fires were faced with extremely challenging conditions overnight.
Fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said that while the battle continues, they are confident a combined effort will yield success.
Providing an update on Friday, he said the wind had picked up considerably. The Simon’s Town fire spread over the mountain and is above Misty Cliffs and Scarborough.
He said the vegetation fire reported along Glencairn expressway quickly gained momentum and was heading towards the Stonehaven and Evergreen estates.
“Drones were deployed to help guide crews on the ground. An executive decision was made that off-duty staff should report to Goodwood fire station to be deployed to the incidents, and the city also activated its agreement with neighbouring municipalities,” said Carelse.
He said assistance was secured from the Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Cape winelands, Overstrand and West Coast fire services. At first light, six aerial support craft took to the skies to water-bomb the fire lines in Scarborough and Glencairn.
The fire, reported on Tuesday, resulted in five firefighters sustaining injuries on Wednesday. Two were taken to hospital.
On Thursday the City of Cape Town’s fire and rescue services said there was no immediate threat to property even though strong winds continued to be a threat.
“The positives are that no staff or members of the public were injured, and no property was lost overnight. Some residents in Stonehaven and Scarborough were evacuated as a precaution.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for all the firefighters who stood tall in the face of danger. These brave men and women showed courage and determination, and remained calm under extremely testing conditions,” the city said.
The Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) said on Thursday the wildfire in the Simon’s Town area has burnt approximately 1,140ha of private properties and land belonging to the department of public works and the TMNP.
“The Simon’s Town fire erupted under extreme weather conditions, including very high temperatures, low humidity and strong south-easterly winds. These conditions, coupled with dry vegetation, created an ideal environment for rapid fire spread.
“The increase in wind speed and consistent changes in direction further fuelled the fire to multiple areas.”
The firefighting team includes SANParks, NCC Wildfires, City of Cape Town fire and rescue services, Working on Fire, Volunteer Wildfire Services, the SA National Defence Force and the disaster risk management centre.
The Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point section of the park was closed on Friday morning as a precautionary measure.
“To ensure public safety, road closures have been enforced along Simon’s Town Main Road and Plateau Road, affecting access to this area of the park in both directions. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause but your safety is our utmost priority. We strongly advise all visitors and tour operators to adhere to these closures until an official announcement regarding the Cape Point gate’s reopening is made. Additionally, we recommend avoiding the Simon’s Town area as much as possible.”
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Nearby municipalities pledge to help Cape Town battle blaze
Choppers take to the skies at first light to water-bomb fire lines in Scarborough and Glencairn
Crews dealing with the Simon’s Town and Glencairn fires were faced with extremely challenging conditions overnight.
Fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said that while the battle continues, they are confident a combined effort will yield success.
Providing an update on Friday, he said the wind had picked up considerably. The Simon’s Town fire spread over the mountain and is above Misty Cliffs and Scarborough.
He said the vegetation fire reported along Glencairn expressway quickly gained momentum and was heading towards the Stonehaven and Evergreen estates.
“Drones were deployed to help guide crews on the ground. An executive decision was made that off-duty staff should report to Goodwood fire station to be deployed to the incidents, and the city also activated its agreement with neighbouring municipalities,” said Carelse.
He said assistance was secured from the Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Cape winelands, Overstrand and West Coast fire services. At first light, six aerial support craft took to the skies to water-bomb the fire lines in Scarborough and Glencairn.
The fire, reported on Tuesday, resulted in five firefighters sustaining injuries on Wednesday. Two were taken to hospital.
On Thursday the City of Cape Town’s fire and rescue services said there was no immediate threat to property even though strong winds continued to be a threat.
“The positives are that no staff or members of the public were injured, and no property was lost overnight. Some residents in Stonehaven and Scarborough were evacuated as a precaution.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for all the firefighters who stood tall in the face of danger. These brave men and women showed courage and determination, and remained calm under extremely testing conditions,” the city said.
The Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) said on Thursday the wildfire in the Simon’s Town area has burnt approximately 1,140ha of private properties and land belonging to the department of public works and the TMNP.
“The Simon’s Town fire erupted under extreme weather conditions, including very high temperatures, low humidity and strong south-easterly winds. These conditions, coupled with dry vegetation, created an ideal environment for rapid fire spread.
“The increase in wind speed and consistent changes in direction further fuelled the fire to multiple areas.”
The firefighting team includes SANParks, NCC Wildfires, City of Cape Town fire and rescue services, Working on Fire, Volunteer Wildfire Services, the SA National Defence Force and the disaster risk management centre.
The Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point section of the park was closed on Friday morning as a precautionary measure.
“To ensure public safety, road closures have been enforced along Simon’s Town Main Road and Plateau Road, affecting access to this area of the park in both directions. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause but your safety is our utmost priority. We strongly advise all visitors and tour operators to adhere to these closures until an official announcement regarding the Cape Point gate’s reopening is made. Additionally, we recommend avoiding the Simon’s Town area as much as possible.”
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