[imagesource: Twitter / @marzahn_botha]

It has been a truly horrific 24 hours in the Mother City, and strong winds are currently hampering firefighting efforts as heroes battle the flames on the front lines.

On Sunday morning, firefighters were called into action. According to a statement from the official Table Mountain National Park Twitter account, “the location of the fire was immediately above Philip Kgosana Drive/Hospital Bend”.

The same statement added that “after the initial investigation, it is surmised that the origin of the fire is from a vacated vagrant fire.”

We will provide donation details, as well as other ways you can assist, at the bottom of this article.

Before we get to the videos and images of the fire, which have been widely shared, we were sent this by a reader.

We must stress that the image remains unverified, but this is around the area where the fire started:

Below, with the area of interest circled:

Again, the image has not been verified.

As news of the fire spread across social media, dramatic videos and images were shared.

Many were not credited, so apologies for that. If you would like us to credit you, please get in touch with us via Twitter, or mail russel@2oceansvibe.com.

These are from Sunday morning:

Wild fire started near Devils Peak in Cape Town. Clear the mountain. pic.twitter.com/MOMnWlLiiG

— Roses.Are*Blue (@TefoAMbition) April 18, 2021

More from start:

A section of the tea room at Rhodes Memorial has been destroyed and people are urged not to enter the area. More resources are currently on their way to assist firefighting efforts. #rhodesmemorial #fire #capetown pic.twitter.com/ivVqwtbyv1

— Love Cape Town (@lovecapetown) April 18, 2021

It is believed that this is the moment the Rhodes Memorial restaurant exploded, with many speculating that the onsite gas canisters ignited:

@News24 caught Rhodes memorial restaurant explosion from the fire on the mountain #fireonthemountain pic.twitter.com/txwIWVDOyU

— Claire Berzen (@Claire30184787) April 18, 2021

The damage is beyond extensive, and images from this morning show that:

Devastation at the Rhodes Mem tea room. #uctfires #CapeTownFires pic.twitter.com/JxOLl370L4

— Andrew Stegmann (@andrewsteg) April 19, 2021

As the fire spread, cyclists and runners on the mountain offered live updates:

I think my Car has been destroyed as I cannot reach Rhodes Memorial and think I managed to outrun the fire -can anyone tell me if the cars at Rhodes Memorial are safe and where do I need to run to get away from the fire? Newlands Forest? @wo_fire @cptfrs #fire #CapeTown pic.twitter.com/d0xICuvupS

— Lisette Lombard (@LisLombard) April 18, 2021

Thankfully, Lisette was safe, but her car was not as fortunate:

My car has been destroyed in the fire with other vehicles and the restaurant, but thank God we are safe Never have I experienced a fire that spread so unpredictably fast. I have so much respect for our firefighters Thank you #capetown #fireforce @wo_fire @cptfrs pic.twitter.com/MK6iEGgENy

— Lisette Lombard (@LisLombard) April 18, 2021

Cyclist Jeremy Stewart recorded this video:

[WATCH] I met Jeremy Stewart, a businessman from Cape Town who was cycling in the area where the fire started. He has shared this video with me. #CTFire pic.twitter.com/tq9ePihSqQ

— Athi Mtongana (@Artii_M) April 18, 2021

It wasn’t long before winds pushed the fire towards UCT’s campus:

Madness #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/wOVWDYUfGj

— Robyn Silverstone (@RobsSilverstone) April 18, 2021

And then down into neighbouring suburbs, below the university campus:

Clarified to be upper Rondebosch bordering Newlands (below UCT)

— Diana (@miss_moss) April 18, 2021

Besendisith we going extinct…this happened right in front of me #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/6ngYIqDDjB

— Ncumisa Garishe (@GarisheNcumisa) April 18, 2021

Mostert Mill, the country’s oldest working windmill, was not spared:

Mostert’s Mill is the latest casualty to the Table Mountain fire. This implies that the blaze has jumped the M3. pic.twitter.com/DAZ6JMJLDz

— Cape {Town} Etc (@CapeTownEtc) April 18, 2021

Built in 1796, Mostert’s Mill in Cape Town, the oldest working windmill in South Africa, was all but destroyed today. #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/BW6THnNxTJ

— Lex Loizides (@lexloiz) April 18, 2021

Just before 4PM, Table Mountain National Park released their statement, confirming that the fire is believed to have been as a result of a vagrant fire:

The location of the fire was immediately above Philip Kgosana Drive/Hospital Bend. After the initial investigation, it is surmised that the origin of the fire is from a vacated vagrant fire. It should be noted that due to the extreme Fire Danger Index for today which is Red with pic.twitter.com/bV1s0e34fz

— SANParks TMNP (@TableMountainNP) April 18, 2021

Throughout the day, and overnight and into this morning, the heroic efforts of our firefighters are visible for all to see.

We salute the fire fighters today #CapeTown #CapeTownFire pic.twitter.com/WMMxV4itXZ

— Caamila Harris-Alexander (@R0se_Island6) April 18, 2021

A helicopter seen waterbombing one of the upper campus buildings at UCT. #capetownfire

Video: Armand Hough/ African News Agency pic.twitter.com/BcDE6Xx6K8

— Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) April 18, 2021

We will provide donation details, as well as other ways you can assist, at the bottom of this article.

More images from campus:

The University of Cape Town’s library and residences and upper campus building are currently burning as firefighters battle to contain the fire on the slopes of Table Mountain . #capetownfire

Picture: @armandhough & @Traceyleighadam pic.twitter.com/eh5MQnfNSe

— Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) April 18, 2021

Cape Town Etc put this video together:

This from The Guardian:

Tragically, the Reading Room of the historic Jagger Library was engulfed by flames:

Heritage went up in flames today. The Great IsiXhosa Dictionary as well as both Isigidimi Sabantsundu & Izimvo Zabantsundu were housed right there at Special Collections library. Just like that, it went up in smoke. Thoroughly heartbroken by this. #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/vSaMEu69lt

— Akha Tutu (@AkhaTutu) April 18, 2021

This message from a UCT librarian, sent yesterday:

“The reading room is apparently gutted. That’s the African Studies Collection and African Film gone, as well as at least one of the rare books collections, and probably the recently renovated Gov Pubs, but that’s not clear. There’s a fire shutter between those, so hopefully that survived. The Gov Pubs materials were, however, mostly in the upper levels of Jagger due to the renovation and so they’re all gone as well. The lower levels where the rare books and manuscripts are do not appear to be on fire, but the fire in the reading room keeps flaring up so they can’t get down to check. There’s almost certainly going to be water damage, but hopefully the compactus will have protected some of it. As far as we know the two other stores (one in the Kaplan building, one on the Main Road) are still safe, but no one is able to confirm this for certain.”

The damage speak for itself:

Absolutely gutted. Jagger building at UCT completely destroyed by #CapeTownFires #uctfire @TimesLIVE pic.twitter.com/pZqKhqF9fE

— (@AJGMolyneaux) April 18, 2021

Via a statement by Ujala Satgoor, the executive director of UCT Libraries, there is still some hope:

A message from @UCTLibrary Executive Director Ujala Satgoor on the fire that devastated the Reading Room of the Jagger Library where @UCTLibrary_SC situated.#UCT #uctfire #UCTstudents #capetownfires #capetownfire #capetown #cyril #tablemountainfire pic.twitter.com/t5vlilmSR9

— Asanda Sizani (@AsandaSizani) April 19, 2021

The gist of what she said, via Al Jazeera:

Satgoor said on Facebook that the Reading Room of the library had been gutted but that fire shutters had been triggered preventing the flames from spreading to other parts of the building.

“Some of our valuable collections have been lost,” Satgoor said, adding that the library would only be able to assess the full extent of the damage after the building had been declared safe.

“This is indeed a sad day for UCT and UCT Libraries! Although this loss will be felt deeply, we will weather this storm and rise from the ashes.”

The African Studies Library and Special Collections at the University of Cape Town has suffered losses of rare and invaluable resources that have been indispensable to researchers all over the world.

Calls have gone out to researchers to archive and digitise any materials they may have copied, photographed, or recorded at the library.

Any materials can be uploaded here.

More on the UCT campus damage:

Heartbreaking to see the University of Cape Town like this. Greatly appreciative of all the firefighters and first responders who are working tirelessly to get the Table Mountain fire under control. pic.twitter.com/7fp87e2LZu

— PetersenLab_UCT (@PetersenLab_UCT) April 18, 2021

Here’s a student detailing his evacuation:

Today was Hectic at UCT. We had to evacuate Res cause the fire kept growing and the whole Upper, middle and lower campus was covered in smoke. I left lower campus on. A taxi with my friends because we couldn’t breath in the smoke and it was burning our eyes #capetownfire #uctfire pic.twitter.com/kzAxvjjvSV

— Tebogo Mabusela (@tebogomabusela_) April 18, 2021

This statement from a Smuts residence warden:

“My students in Smuts hall were successfully evacuated in time. I have literally been in the fire from when it broke out until now. The fire engulfed our home, Smuts hall, Fuller hall and the adjacent buildings. The devastation is shocking to see. I have never seen or experienced this before. The heroes for me are 3 of my sub wardens, my older son and two volunteers who prevented Smuts hall and Fuller hall from completely burning down. I witnessed everything first hand in person for several hours. It took a while before help from the City of Cape Town was received. Upper campus is sealed off and no one is being allowed in.”

A timelapse:

A fire in Cape Town today, which quickly spread to the Table Mountain National Park and southern suburbs, which caused significant damage to University of Cape Town and surrounding areas. This is a time lapse video in 1 minute intervals. #capefire #uctfire #capetownfire pic.twitter.com/ecCOE6MhwH

— hanief (@hanief) April 18, 2021

In amongst the destruction, it is utterly disheartening to read reports of intentional fires being lit by arsonists, with arrests made.

The South African has a comment from SAPS Western Cape Spokesperson Andre Traut:

“In response to your enquiry kindly be advised that a 35 year old male was arrested last night at 20:10 in Philip Kgosana Drive Cape Town by a member of the City’s Law Enforcement on a charge of arson.”

“It is alleged that a member of the local neighbourhood watch witnessed three suspects making a fire on the mountain, and alerted authorities. Two of the suspects managed to evade arrest. The circumstances surrounding the case are being investigated and an appearance in court is yet to be scheduled.”

This was also confirmed by Table Mountain National Park fire manager Philip Prins during an interview last night:

#RhodesMemorialFire

TMNP Fire Manager – Philip Prins giving an update of the Rhodes Memorial Fire and another Fire was started approximately at 20:00pm in Devils Peak- High Cape Area and our fire crews have successfully contained the new fire.

#TableMountain #CapeTownFire pic.twitter.com/MeN7XamPSZ

— SANParks TMNP (@TableMountainNP) April 18, 2021

This morning, pumping winds pushed the fire towards Vredehoek, and evacuations are underway.

Some of the footage from the area:

3pm and 3am #CapeTownFires pic.twitter.com/4OXdb9BOgP

— emma knott (@emm_knott) April 19, 2021

Scenes above Vredehoek this morning:

19/04/2021
CPT
Table Mountain
Fires getting much worse. The wind is very strong coming over the mountain blowing the fire down the slopes toward the city. It has almost reached the suburban line. @eNCA @CityofCT @cptfrs @TableMountainNP #CapeTownFires #CapeTown #capefire pic.twitter.com/e0604h2xgL

— RIOT & ATTACK info South Africa (@RiotAndAttackSA) April 19, 2021

The iconic Disa Towers, perhaps most well known as ‘Tampon Towers’, are being evacuated. If they were to be damaged, or burn down entirely, one wonders whether they would be rebuilt.

Disaster Management officers are evacuating the Disa Park towers. Fire fighters say the fast-changing, strong winds are their biggest challenge right now. #capefire pic.twitter.com/aNoxDmL2r1

— Natalie Malgas (@nataliemalgas) April 19, 2021

My heart My city! #capefire #CapeTownFires pic.twitter.com/vakW2YDkgO

— Snow (@equalizer_69) April 19, 2021

#CapeTownFires #CapeTownFire #CapeTown
45 minutes ago at sunrise vs now – the fire is reportedly right behind the houses in Pinetree, Peppertree, Oaktree and Chelmsford in Vredehoek moving towards Disa Park. pic.twitter.com/S3BTONphKW

— Ian Gordon (@ifgordon) April 19, 2021

Flames raging down Devil’s Peak. View from Woodstock at 7.15. #CapeTownFires pic.twitter.com/RoG8PeX72d

— Kirsten Lee (@KirLee14) April 19, 2021

St Cyprian’s Pre-School has been closed for the day, out of precaution.

An update from the City of Cape Town:

As a precautionary these areas were evacuated.

Further crews are on Tafelberg road as the wind speed is predicted to increase throughout the morning.

This could also potentially impact on the deployment of aerial firefighting support this morning.#CTNews #CapeTownFires

— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) April 19, 2021

If you are told to evacuate by officials, here is what you should ensure you take with you:

For those who want to assist, either financially or with other donations, Good Things Guy has a list of how to help here.

Here is perhaps the simplest way:

You can also SnapScan and donate to VWS:

UCT students who need a meal this evening, and throughout the week, should note this:

We’re extending the UCT dinners for the week. We will provide a different meal each night. Tonight is spaghetti bolognese. #DenAnker #NewlandsFire #CapeTownFires #UCTStudents #Fire #CapeTownFire https://t.co/sJH7p8MILF

— Den Anker Restaurant (@den_anker) April 19, 2021

Gift of the Givers is also coordinating relief efforts, and helping to feed displaced UCT students.

You can donate to them here, via a number of methods.

Animal owners in the area who need a place for their pets to go should note this Facebook post:

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA adds that you call them on 083 326 1604 if you see any injured or displaced wild animals.

You can find out how to assist the SPCA here.

To stay up to speed with the latest information, News24 has a live tracker, featuring the latest information, videos, and images, which you can follow here.

[sources:news24&aljazeera&southafrican]