Cape firefighters, helicopters battling Simon’s Town blaze
CAPE TOWN – Firefighters are hard at work battling a blaze on the mountain slopes of Simon’s Town, above Signal School, on Monday morning, two weeks after fighting the massive Cape Town fire.
The City of Cape Town's Fire and Rescue Services are being assisted by helicopters.
“The call was received at approximately 5.55am, of mountain slopes alight,” said Jermaine Carelse, the Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson.
“We currently have 10 firefighting appliances and about 50 firefighters on scene, being assisted by Table Mountain National Park and a crew from the Navy.
“Two Oryx helicopters were requested from Ysterplaat Air Force base to assist with water bombing. The fire area has been divided into three divisions to make operations more manageable.”
The helicopters’ assistance was approved and Carelse said both were on the scene water bombing the area.
Recently, firefighters had their hands full battling the Cape Town fire that started on Sunday, April 18. They contained the blaze by Wednesday that week. Several firefighters were injured in the fire that devastated vegetation and caused massive damaged to UCT property and the Rhodes Memorial restaurant.
#NEWSTART 🔥 Red Hill - Simonstown 🔥@TableMountainNP @NCCEnviron Type 1 Crews are responding to a fire in Simonstown - Red Hill area . @cptfrs are in attendance.#WeHaveGotYourBack#FireIsEveryonesFight#SomeLeadWhileOthersAreDestinedToFollow
— NCC Wildfires (@NCCWildfires) May 3, 2021
📷 - Brian de Stadler pic.twitter.com/nFf5APJonr