Working on Fire
Homes in the Vredehoek area near the Cape Town CBD are being evacuated as the raging wildfire spreads due to strong winds.
The wind speed increased dramatically from about 2 am on Monday.
Additional fire crews have been deployed to assist residents with the evacuation.
The Minister of Local Government and Environmental Affairs in the Western Cape Anton Bredell says the conditions have deteriorated overnight with the wind picking up strength and fanning the flames.
“The wind speed is expected to increase during the day which may impact on the deployment of aerial firefighting.
The helicopters cannot fly if the wind is too strong and the visibility too poor but the situation will be fully assessed early this morning.”
Bredell says more than 250 firefighters from the City of Cape Town, Table Mountain National Park, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services remain on the ground.
The M3 roadway remains closed to traffic as well as the Phillip Kgosana inbound roadway.
Bredell urged people to stay away from the hotspot areas and to work from home if possible.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to take note of the heavy smoke and soot and to seek medical attention if breathing becomes difficult.
To date, five firefighters have sustained injuries but no civilians.
The fire started on the slopes below Table Mountain on Sunday and left two firefighters injured.
Several iconic buildings, including the Jagger Library Building at UCT and the restaurant at Rhodes Memorial, were gutted.
The fires also led to the mass evacuation of students off the University of Cape Town’s campuses.
