Cape Town firefighters hope for favourable weather as they continue to battle fire
Light rain has started falling in parts of the fire area, and it is hoped it'll bring some relief to firefighting efforts.
Firefighters are continuing to battle a wildfire in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park. Picture: Clive Maasch
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town firefighters are hoping for more favourable weather to help expedite efforts to extinguish the fire that’s been burning since Friday evening.
Light rain has started falling in parts of the fire area, and it is hoped it'll bring some relief to firefighting efforts.
The blaze broke out in the Silvermine on Friday and flared up on Sunday.
The City of Cape Town's Fire and Rescue Services says there's still a long way to go before the fire is contained.
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The municipality says the helicopters that were airborne earlier have been grounded again, due to poor visibility.
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says on the one side of the mountain it's raining while it's dry on the other side.
"We were driving on Chapman's Peak, and it was clearly misty there, and there was a lot of drizzle coming from that side, and we thought this would make a difference until we came back to the Tokai side. The ground is extremely dry as if it never rained."
There have been no reports of damage to private property, but several vehicles in the Silvermine parking area were burnt out.