Mop-up operations after Red Hill fire
MOP-UP operations were under way yesterday, following a fire on Red Hill, Simon’s Town.
Authorities were able to contain the fire by midday yesterday after reports of a blaze on the mountain slopes at around 7am.
Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) fire manager Philip Prins said: “More than 50 firefighters from TMNP/contract wildfire crews (NCC Wildfires), Working on Fire and the City of Cape Town were deployed on the fire line with assistance from two aerial support helicopters from the SANDF that began suppressing the fire from 8.30am.”
Once the fire was contained, all aerial resources returned to the base and mop-up operations commenced, with teams remaining in the area for the rest of the day.
“We urge the public to stay clear of the area during this time,” SANParks said.
Working on Fire yesterday said its False Bay and Mamre teams were performing mop-up operations and patrolling the fire line to put out any hot spots that threatened to flare up again.
City Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said the service was informed of mountain slopes alight at 5.55am.
Ten firefighting appliances and about 50 firefighters were on the scene, being assisted by TMNP and a crew from the Navy.
Two Oryx helicopters were requested from Ysterplaat Air Force base to assist with water bombing, with the fire area divided into three divisions to make operations more manageable.
By midday, Carelse said aerial support was stood down.
“We only have six fire appliances on scene and the fire is under control,” Carelse said.
Community environmental NPO Parkscape expressed concerns about the fire risk in Tokai yesterday.
Parkscape said the slopes of Upper Tokai are blanketed under a heavy fuel load resulting from the clearing of dense infestations of predominantly Australian species but also pines which flourished in the wake of the 2015 fires.