CAPE TOWN, Aug. 3 — A wildfire on South Africa’s well-known Table Mountain triggered temporary evacuations on Sunday and prompted an aerial firefighting response on Monday, as crews worked to contain the blaze.
The fire, described by South African National Parks (SANParks) as a vegetation fire, was reported on Sunday above the road leading to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway in Cape Town, with ground firefighting crews from multiple agencies deployed to contain the blaze.
“As a precaution, evacuations are currently underway at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Lower Station,” SANParks said in a statement on Sunday. The agency said rangers and traffic officials were deployed to assist with the safe evacuation of visitors and traffic management, while the Contour Path and surrounding trails were closed during emergency operations.
In a statement on Monday, SANParks said firefighters remained on the fireline overnight, monitoring and suppressing isolated hotspots. Lighter winds helped improve conditions, but the agency warned that rising temperatures could increase the risk of flare-ups in steep and rocky areas that were difficult for ground crews to access.
Aerial firefighting resources were deployed on Monday to support suppression efforts, with aircraft used to cool hotspots identified through thermal imaging and reduce the risk of reignition, SANParks said, adding that additional aircraft could be deployed if operational conditions required.
SANParks also urged the public to avoid the affected area and comply with trail closures while aerial firefighting operations were underway.
A spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services said on Monday that no further evacuations were required and that no injuries or property damage had been reported. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
