Fire at Table Mountain’s Redhill flares up again amid strong winds

A previously contained fire at Table Mountain’s southern section, Redhill, in Cape Town has reignited, with South African National Parks (Sanparks) reporting that the blaze flared up early Monday morning due to severe weather conditions.

“The Red Hill fire flared up in the early hours of this morning due to near gale-force winds, making containment efforts difficult,” Sanparks announced in a social media statement.

The organisation said it requested aerial support to assist ground teams currently battling the flare-ups.

It added that as a precautionary measure, several trails in the affected area have been closed, including Kleinplaas Dam, Lewis Gay trail, and the Jonkersdam area.

Multiple fires strain resources

Adding to the challenge, Sanparks reported that a second active fire has emerged in the Lake Michelle area, following multiple blazes across the park on Sunday.

In an effort to combat these blazes, Sanparks announced plans to deploy fresh firefighting crews to relieve exhausted teams that have been fighting the flames for more than 24 hours.

“The strong winds in the Southern Peninsula are expected to continue until Wednesday, further complicating efforts,” Sanparks stated.

The organisation urged residents to “remain vigilant, avoid fire-affected areas, and report any new fire outbreaks immediately on 086 110 6417 or our Newlands Dispatch Office on 021 689 7438”.

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Initial Table Mountain Redhill fire response

The current situation follows Sunday’s firefighting efforts, when Table Mountain National Park Fire Management deployed ground teams and aerial resources to contain the initial Redhill fire.

The blaze, which was first reported at 3.00pm in the Redhill informal settlement, spread rapidly due to strong southeasterly winds.

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Extensive resources deployed

The firefighting operation has involved significant resources, including two helicopters from Newlands Fire Base and two QRF choppers from Stellenbosch.

Sanparks also listed ground crews from NCC Wildfires, EVS crew, Volunteer Wildfire Services, and the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services as teams and resources involved in the containment efforts.

The organisation revealed that before the initial containment, approximately 116 hectares of land were burned.

Redhill Road remains closed to the public to allow emergency services access, and residents have been advised to evacuate to safer locations.

The fire management team had initially succeeded in containing the blaze, with crews remaining on the scene throughout the night for mop-up operations and monitoring.

However, the strong winds have complicated these efforts, leading to the current flare-ups and renewed firefighting operations.

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