Cape Town - Unpredictable weather conditions which led to the rapid spread of the fire in Oudekraal between Camps Bay and Llandudno, has made it necessary for the fire management team of Table Mountain to request reinforcements on Friday morning.
The vegetation fire which started on Wednesday afternoon on private property has spread onto Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) and has burnt at least 200 hectares thus far.
Roads were closed and the 12 Apostles Hotel was evacuated on Thursday.
Three Working on Fire Huey Helicopters and one fixed wing Spotter plane was dispatched to Cape Town early Friday morning. In addition 35 Table Mountain National Park contracted firefighters, 80 Working on Fire firefighters and 09 volunteers from the Volunteer Wildfire Services as well as staff from the Cape Peninsula Fire Protection Association will be fighting the fire on the ground.
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Firefighters and helicopters seen battling Oudekraal fire. Video: Henk Kruger/ANA
"The plan for today is to secure the perimeter as well as hot spots as the fire has now moved past the 12 Apostles Hotel from the tar road into Table Mountain National Park," said South African National Parks spokesperson, Merle Collins.
"The City of Cape Town Fire & Rescue service currently has a total of 5 fire tenders with 25 fire fighters on scene attending to the Victoria Road Mountain Fire," City of Cape Town's Edward Bosch said on Friday morning.
"The fire is still largely being monitored as certain areas are inaccessible. We have 2 fire tenders with 10 fire fighters on standby and attending to flare ups at the 12 Apostles Hotel. Aerial water drops support are expected to resume later Friday morning."
Collins added that due to adverse and unpredictable weather conditions TMNP and all fire agencies request that the public exercises extreme caution during the upcoming fire season, to only braai in designated braai areas, to discard cigarette butts safely and not to make any illegal fires.
A time-lapse of the fire on the mountain still raging while authorities try extinguishing it. Video by Henk Kruger/ANA
The public is requested to immediately report all fires within TMNP on 0861 106 417 or the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services on 021 480 7700 and 107 (from a landline).
Cape Argus