[imagesource:myown]

Over 100 firefighters were dispatched on Wednesday to help contain a wildfire that started to spread across the mountain.

This time, the fire was ravaging the mountain along Boyes Drive, just above Kalk Bay.

I happened to be in the area at the time and watched the fire grow into a massive rager as fire trucks raced through to douse it in water. Within about 30 minutes or so, the flames were out of control, leaping up the mountain before three helicopters showed up to battle the blaze.

Sowetan Live confirmed that SANParks and Table Mountain National Park mobilised around 114 firefighters from NCC Wildfires, Volunteer Wildfire Services, and Working on Fire. Additionally, three helicopters and a spotter plane were deployed, according to SANParks.

Fire and rescue service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they were alerted to the incident at 11:30AM, where six firefighting vehicles and over 30 staff members were on-site and additional resources were en route.

Fire above Boyes Drive in Kalk Bay, Wednesday, January 18. Three helicopters water-bombed the flames into submission while over 100 firefighters battled the blaze on the ground. #capetownfire #kalkbayfire #boyesdrivefrire pic.twitter.com/NT5ew25zov

— Tayla (@TaylaPaigeVS) January 18, 2024

SANParks had called on an urgent request for all hikers in the central section of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) to descend the mountain as the fire had intensified due to strong winds above Boyes Drive in Kalk Bay.

At least the seals were seemingly unperturbed by the hullabaloo:

Watching the three helicopters water-bombing the areas inaccessible to ground crews, with their skill and tenacity, is always a proud moment:

Fire above Boyes Drive in Kalk Bay, Wednesday, January 18. Three helicopters water-bombed the flames into submission while over 100 firefighters battled the blaze on the ground. #capetownfire #kalkbayfire #boyesdrivefrire pic.twitter.com/KV9dCM3gDF

— Tayla (@TaylaPaigeVS) January 18, 2024

Another angle:

The area has been a hotspot for fires this season. In December, firefighters battled a vegetation fire for days on the mountain slopes in Simon’s Town that threatened the lives, animals, homes, and properties of those in the area. The fire eventually spread over to Glencairn and Scarborough, resulting in exhausted firefighters battling the blaze for nearly a week, per IOL.

The old Cape Doctor (south-easterly wind) has been terribly strong in the last couple of days, which puts any little spark at risk of becoming a full-on fire.

There was even a fire in Franschhoek on Wednesday, which means a lot of the province’s fire-fighting resources were used in one day. Thankfully, the Western Cape government increased its wildfire budget by R3 million (bolstered from R16 million to R19 million) since it was dangerously close to running dry, with three months of fire season still to go, per The Daily Maverick.

Fire season in the province runs from December to the end of April.

[sources:sowetanlive&iol&dailymaverick]