Cape Town - The mountain fire along the R44 in the Overstrand area which the City's Fire and Rescue services have been battling since Sunday morning is still ongoing.
The fire has been going on in the Betty's Bay area since New Year's day, but despite best efforts to contain it, the fire spread to Koggelsbaai, forcing road closures and evacuations in the Overstrand region.
The fire had spread from the upper slopes of the mountain in the Betty’s Bay area and reached the City’s jurisdictional area at around 9am on Sunday, Theo Layne of the City’s Fire and Rescue services previously explained.
On Monday evening, Layne gave an update about the fire revealing that the blaze just passed the Koggelbaai bay resort.
"The area is difficult for firefighters to access as other is burning on the upper slopes of the mountain. Reports of the fire having reached Gorden's Bay is unfounded at this time," he said.
He added that the R44 remains closed.
The mountain fire in the Overstrand area which the City's Fire and Rescue services have been battling is still ongoing. Picture: City and Fire Services/Supplied
The mountain fire in the Overstrand area which the City's Fire and Rescue services have been battling is still ongoing. Picture: City and Fire Services/Supplied
Firefighters from Cape Town were on the scene since Sunday being assisted by the ground crew of Table Mountain National Parks staff and one helicopter contracted to TNNP. As of Monday morning, the City Fire and Rescue Service was still on scene at the Koggelsbaai fire.
Crews had stayed throughout the night monitoring the fire of the mountain.
While the City's Fire and Rescue Service, among others, have been battling the fire, the man who allegedly started it appeared in court.
According to a TimesLive report, the Caledon Magistrate’s Court postponed the case to next Monday for a bail application. The 34-year-old suspect allegedly shot a signal flare into the air which landed in fynbos behind his house on a mountain slope.
The man is facing charges under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, it was reported.