PMB student tells of UCT fire terror
By Latoya Newman
Share
Durban - TAâRIQ Mohabir, of Pietermaritzburg, had just settled in at a student residence at the University of Cape Town (UCT) on Wednesday when, within just four days, a wildfire ripped through the area.
âWe were in our residence when we saw thick clouds of smoke to the point that we felt we could not breathe. It was so hot. It felt like heaters were on in our rooms. Outside was just as hot,â said Mohabir.
The wildfire started on Sunday morning at Rhodes Memorial. It later spread to UCT, then towards the Devilâs Peak Estate/Vredehoek area of the Cape Town City Bowl. Mohabir, 19, a first-year student, is studying business science in actuarial science. He was based at the Glenres Campus.
Rodger Bosch
Cape Town firefighters will keep a close eye on any possible flare-ups
over the next few days.
Eleven structures were damaged or destroyed.
Nine civilians were taken to hospital and six firefighters sustained
injuries.
A devastating veldfire on the slopes of Table Mountain has destroyed 650
hectares – and firefighters will be on standby throughout the night to prevent
any flare-ups.
SANParks fire chief, Philip Prins, said: More than 150
firefighters from Table Mountain National Park/contract wildfire crews (NCC
Wildfires), Working on Fire, Volunteer Wildfire Services and City of Cape Town
were deployed on the fire line, with assistance from five aerial support
defenceWeb
Written by defenceWeb -
An Oryx drops water from a Bambi bucket.
The South African Air Force (SAAF) provided Oryx helicopters to help fight the Table Mountain fire that began on Sunday 18 April. The fire is currently largely contained, but not out.
The SAAF’s resources were activated on Monday and were placed on standby, but helicopters could not initially fly due to strong winds. When conditions calmed on Tuesday 20 April, Working on Fire UH-1 Huey and SAAF Oryx helicopters dropped water on the fire on the slopes of Table Mountain.
South African National Parks (SANParks) thanked firefighters and others who helped contain the fire. “The devastating fires across the TMNP [Table Mountain National Park] have brought home the value of partnerships and working together as a community to manage this National park we all love. Without the collective efforts of the 125 TMNP rangers, the 170 fire and rescue workers, the South African National Defence Force, CoCT [City of
SANParks blamed by groups for ignoring mountain vagrant fires over the years
By Shakirah Thebus
Share
Cape Town - Mountain-user groups have pointed a finger at SA National Parks (SANParks) for allowing vagrants to start fires that eventually led to the latest Table Mountain blaze, despite numerous reports about vagrant fires over the years.
Table Mountain Watch (TMW), a collective of concerned residents, said SANParks had been repeatedly warned of the threat posed by these fires, coupled with the mismanagement of vegetation.
TMW head André Van Schalkwyk said: “As park users, we have alerted SANParks to locations, incidents, evidence of where indigent people camp in the park – on countless occasions and over many, many years. It makes no sense to conveniently blame vagrants when, as a state-owned enterprise, they’ve done very little to address the problem.”
As wind subsides, firefighters hope to bring Table Mountain fire under control Table Mountain National Parks fire manager, Philip Prins, said that they were hoping for better weather conditions to make firefighting efforts easier. Firefighting teams dampen smouldering vegetation, finally getting a fierce forest fire under control on the foothills of Table Mountain in Cape Town on 19 April 2021. Picture: Rodger Bosch/AFP
one hour ago
CAPE TOWN - The wind has subsided in Cape Town, bringing much-needed respite for exhausted firefighters who ve been struggling since Sunday to bring a raging fire on Table Mountain s slopes under control.
The blaze started on Sunday. As it spread rapidly, thousands of people had to flee their homes. The inferno gutted several buildings at the University of Cape Town (UCT), as well as a government minister s Newland s home.