Wildfire Burning on Table Mountain Moves Toward Cape Town

Firefighters in Cape Town on Wednesday were battling a wildfire that broke out in Table Mountain National Park and spread overnight toward the city, local authorities said.

The wildfire has burned for several days in the Newlands area, high in the mountainous slopes of the park, but strong gusting winds pushed it toward Cape Town’s central business district overnight, fire and park officials said.

The size of the fire and the extent of any potential property damage was still being determined, said Edward Bosch, a spokesman for the Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service. But he described the blaze as “extensive.” He said there was no threat to the downtown area as of Wednesday morning, but noted that could change depending on the wind and other factors throughout the day.

Trails in Table Mountain National Park, a popular hiking spot for residents and tourists, were closed after the fire began earlier this week. As of Monday, the fire had burned through at least 148 acres of land, according to a body responsible for managing the national park, which said on Monday that it was concerned about “the continued presence of hikers in areas that have been closed off.”

A second fire, in the Red Hill region of the park, was also burning on Wednesday morning.

No evacuations had been ordered, Mr. Bosch said. Two helicopters had been water-bombing the fire since sunrise on Wednesday, he said, and a third helicopter was on its way from the nearby town of Stellenbosch.

“If the conditions are favorable today, then it should be under control by today,” he said.

Park officials said that more than 80 firefighters from various agencies had been dispatched to combat the fire. Operators of a cable car running from Table Mountain to the central district said in a social media post on Wednesday that it would close until further notice because of smoke from the wildfires.

Several major mountain fires have burned in the Western Cape province in recent years. Residents of Cape Town, who live close to the mountain’s foothills, are especially concerned. Ecologists have urged national park officials to conduct more prescribed burnings of vegetation to stop uncontrollable wildfires.