With its immaculate beaches and hiking trails, Cape Point Nature Reserve has been closed as firefighters fight the enormous fire on the slopes of Glencairn and Simon’s Town.
The administration of Table Mountain National Park made the decision to “close the Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point section of the park on Friday morning as a precautionary measure” after learning on Friday that the fire would endanger the safety of tourists.
“To ensure public safety, road closures have been enforced along the Simon’s Town main road and Plateau Road, affecting access to this area of the park in both directions,” said Megan Taplin from the Table Mountain National Park management.
“We strongly advise all visitors and tour operators to adhere to these closures until an official announcement regarding the Cape Point gate’s reopening is made.”
Taplin said the safety of visitors was a priority and recommended avoiding the Simon’s Town area as much as possible.
“We will reevaluate the situation to determine whether Cape Point can be opened again.”
Firefighters have been battling the blaze since Tuesday morning. By Thursday evening, the fire had spread over the mountain to Misty Cliffs and Scarborough, fuelled by strong winds.
At least 97 households in Stonehaven Estate had to be evacuated overnight.
Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said firefighters were continuing their efforts to douse the flames in Simon’s Town and surrounds, as well as Glencairn.
“There has been some respite from the wind this morning and we are hoping the reprieve lasts, although the wind does tend to pick up as the day progresses. We still have six aerial support craft doing water-bombing in the affected areas to support the tireless efforts of ground crews,” he said
Carelse added that there had been no reported damage to property or injuries to any member of the public.
“Road closures remain in place between Simon’s Town and Cape Point, as well as the Glencairn Expressway,” he said.
The Disaster Risk Management Centre reminds residents in these areas to please keep their doors and windows closed, to limit the amount of smoke entering their homes and to mitigate against any potential health impacts.
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) December 22, 2023
Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town has activated an agreement with neighbouring municipalities to secure assistance from the Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Cape Winelands, Overstrand and West Coast fire services.
