City lauds herculean efforts to contain Table Mountain fire
16 March 2020
Statement by Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith
The City tips its hat to the many agencies who have worked tirelessly to contain the vegetation fire that broke out below Tafelberg Road yesterday afternoon.
At its peak, the very strong south-easterly wind bedeviled efforts to contain the fire, but the wind has abated somewhat, which has allowed for aerial fire support to get underway.
Currently, the City has more than 200 professional and seasonal firefighters on the fire line at various points around Signal Hill, Lion’s Head and Camps Bay – assisted by approximately 40 Disaster Risk Management Centre Volunteers.
These staff members, together with the Table Mountain National Park staff, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services members have been pushed to their limits overnight and I would like to thank them for their effort thus far.
It is also important to extend a word of gratitude to the other support services like Traffic, Law Enforcement, Metro Police and community structures who have been lending a hand in managing the situation away from the fire line.
The City also extends its best wishes to the seven firefighters who have been injured and who are receiving treatment.
We can confirm that there has been damage to property, but a full assessment will get underway once the fire has been extinguished.
Last night, a decision was made to evacuate a handful of homes in Nettleton Road in Clifton. The City made emergency shelter available at the Clifton Community Hall, but this was not required by the evacuees.
They will be advised on when it is safe to return to the area.
In addition, 33 people were evacuated from Table Mountain and 65 people were evacuated from Signal Hill.
Once the fire is extinguished, work will get underway on compiling an incident report which will include damage assessments and trying to establish the cause of the fire.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
