The CAP firefighters on Wednesday fought against a forest fire that broke out in the Table National Mountain Park and spread overnight to the city, local authorities announced.
Forest fire has burned for several days in the Newlands region, at the top of the mountainous slopes of the park, but strong gusty winds pushed it to the central CAP affairs district, said those responsible for fires and park.
The size of the fire and the extent of any potential material damage were still being determined, said Edward Bosch, spokesperson for Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service. But he described the fire as “extended”. He said there was no threat to the city center on Wednesday morning, but that it could change depending on the wind and other factors throughout the day.
The trails of the Table Mountain National Park, a popular hiking location for residents and tourists, were closed after the start of the fire earlier this week. On Monday, the fire had burned at least 148 acres of land, according to to a body responsible for the management of the national park, which said on Monday that it was concerned about “the continuous presence of hikers in the areas that have been closed”.
A second fire, in the Red Hill region of the park, also burned on Wednesday morning.
No evacuation has been ordered, said Bosch. Two helicopters had bombed water since sunrise on Wednesday, he said, and a third helicopter was on the way from the neighboring city of Stellenbosch.
“If the conditions are favorable today, then it should be controlled today,” he said.
Park officials said more than 80 firefighters from various agencies were sent to fight fire. The operators of a cable car ranging from Table Mountain to the central district said in a Social media message On Wednesday, he would close until further notice because of the smoke of forest fires.
Several large mountain fires have burned in the Western Cape province in recent years. Cape Town residents, who live near the mountain buttresses, are particularly worried. Environmentalists have urged the managers of the National Park to make more prescribed vegetation burns to stop unconstruction forest fires.
