A wildfire is raging on the slopes of Table mountain and remains out of control at the moment. Sections of the M3 has been closed to traffic. Sanparks has urged all hikers within the Newlands and Rhodes Memorial areas have been urged to evacuate the mountain with immediate effect.

Residents of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town are advised to take note of the heavy smoke and soot in the area and to seek medical attention if breathing becomes difficult.

Firefighting resources were deployed early this morning to tackle the fire. The resources include multiple aircraft including three helicopters doing water bombings with a spotter plane in support.

Anton Bredell, the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, says the situation is currently serious with the wildfire spreading towards sections of the University of Cape Town upper campus.

“The public is urged to avoid the area and allow the authorities to do their work. The wind is slowly picking up which is a cause for concern. The city of Cape Town fire fighting service as well as teams from Sanparks and Working on Fire are on the scene already.”

Bredell says the authorities on the ground will inform all members of the public immediately should the situation get more serious.

Residents in the vicinity of the fire are advised to take some precautionary steps including:

Remain Hydrated.
Keep windows and doors closed until further notice as protection against smoke and heat.
Keep pets indoors where possible.
Move garden furniture that is flammable under cover where possible.
If the situation gets worse, residents will be alerted timeously.

In the event of an emergency please contact:

City of Cape Town Emergency Services Landline: 021 480 7700 Cell phone:107
Provincial Emergency Number – 112