The City of Cape Town is seeing the largest ever coordinated attack on a fire line, after the out-of-control Simon’s Town wildfire forced the evacuation of Scarborough residents in the early hours of Friday morning. 

Ninety-six households in Stonehaven, a housing estate on Glencairn Express towards Fish Hoek, were also evacuated after another inferno erupted along the Glencairn Expressway. 

“We are battling two large scale fires,” said the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith in a statement early on Friday morning. 

“All resources, including firefighters off duty, have been called up, along with additional fire engines and tankers. Western Cape Disaster Management has arranged additional support from fire stations of the West Coast, Stellenbosch and Overberg. All choppers will be ready to deploy at first light, along with the Defense Force sending in additional choppers, along with another Oryx flying in from Bloemfontein,” he added.

“Come morning light and we will see the biggest coordinated attack on a fire line that our City has ever witnessed.” 

At 6:50am, the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said: “Crews were faced with extremely challenging conditions overnight, dealing with both the Simon’s Town and Glencairn fires.”

“An executive decision was made that off-duty staff should report to Goodwood Fire Station to be deployed to the incidents, and the City also activated its agreement with neighbouring municipalities, securing assistance from the Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Cape Winelands, Overstrand and West Coast fire services,” he said. 

At first light, six helicopters were deployed to the skies to water-bomb the fire lines at Scarborough and Glencairn.

Remarkably, no staff or members of the public were injured, and no property was lost overnight. 

“We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for all the firefighters that stood tall in the face of danger. These brave men and women showed courage, determination and remained calm under extremely testing conditions.”

⚠️FIRE UPDATE by Fire & Rescue Services Spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse

Crews were faced with extremely challenging conditions overnight, dealing with both the Simon’s Town and Glencairn fires. #CTNews pic.twitter.com/jm5dwCVqsX

— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) December 22, 2023

On Friday morning shortly after midnight residents on the south side of Scarborough were starting to evacuate and not long after the communication came for residents in Hilltop Road, Scarborough to leave. The fire was also spreading into Cape Point on the south side of Scarborough.

Scarborough was under siege during the early hours of Friday. This fire came from the Cape Point side along Beach Road. Photo: Charl Thom

The fire rages above Scarborough on Thursday night, Friday morning. This photo was taken from Beach Road. Photo: Charl Thom

The Scarborough fire as seen from Beach Road, up Camel Road Road. Photo: Charl Thom

“The emergency call was received just before 8pm, of vegetation alight,” Carelse, said in an earlier statement released shortly after 10pm. 

“The area was inaccessible to ground crews who responded, as the fire was moving towards Stonehaven Estate, fanned by strong winds.

“A call was made at 8.50pm that residents of Stonehaven Estate should be relocated,” he continued.

9 pm: The situation escalated in Capri. Residents were urged to evacuate.(Photo:Gunnar Obershosel)

The Glencairn Expressway was closed off and all onlookers urged to stay away.(Photo:Gunnar Obershosel)

Carelse said the Glencairn Expressway was closed to traffic between Kommetjie Road and Simon’s Town Main Road.

In a Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRMC) update at 10.50pm, the DRMC said that officials on site at the fire along the Glencairn Expressway advised that the area was inundated with smoke and asked residents close to the blaze to close doors and windows to mitigate the risk of any health impacts.

“The situation is unpredictable and there might be a need for further evacuations,” it said.

Residents in Glencairn and surrounds were advised to keep a “go” bag ready, in case they needed to be temporarily relocated.

Items to consider include: 

• Prescription medication and spectacles
• Important documentation
• Cellphones and chargers
• Change of clothing and sturdy shoes
• Any required personal hygiene items
• Infant formula
• Sheltering arrangements for pets

Read more in Daily Maverick: Simon’s Town blaze rips through 450ha, hundreds of firefighters continue battle

Law enforcement inhibiting access to fire hotspots across the south of the Cape, 21 December 2023. (Photo: Kyra Wilkinson)

At 10.30pm, the City of Cape Town’s DRMC said it was facilitating the evacuation of 96 households in Stonehaven, a housing estate on Glencairn Express towards Fish Hoek. 

“Affected persons have indicated that they will stay with family and friends until it is safe to return. Residents and pets were offered shelter at Living Hope near Masiphumelele.

“Meanwhile, in Simon’s Town, Disaster Risk Management staff evacuated the Good Hope Gardens Nursery earlier, along Plateau Road.

“A total of 15 persons were relocated from the property. The DRMC also contacted the SPCA to assist with the evacuation and sheltering of livestock on the property,” it said.

The DRMC appealed to the public to steer clear of the fire-affected areas. 

“NGOs who want to assist are also requested to please work through the Joint Operations Centres on site, and not to venture to the fire line on their own, for their own safety and that of others,” it said. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Simon’s Town firefighting efforts continue after an intense night and evacuations after midnight

The incident commander at the Simon’s Town fire station issued instructions to take pre-emptive measures along the southern border of Scarborough at 10.30pm on Thursday, according to Councillor Simon Liell-Cock.

“Metro Police, traffic and law enforcement will also be positioned at the southern entrance to Scarborough to manage traffic,” he said.

“It’s going to be a long night,” said City of Cape Town Council speaker Felicity Purchase, who has been on the ground since the fire started. 

“There are a series of flare-ups and they [the firefighters] get to them … There has been a flare-up in Castle Rock this evening, but firefighters were at the scene,” she told Daily Maverick earlier on Thursday evening. 

“The fact of the matter is that we’ve lived through this before. We’re all exhausted and obviously the people fighting the fire are more exhausted than the rest of us,” she said. “People are exhausted – they were exhausted on the first night.

“The firemen are doing an exemplary job – they’re changing shifts, they’re bringing in new crews every day, but it’s hard work.”

Read more in Daily Maverick: Simon’s Town blaze: Firefighters and community spirit lauded after flames kept at bay

In a statement on Thursday evening, Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) confirmed that the wildfire in the Simon’s Town area had charred about 1,140 hectares of land spanning private, public works and TMNP properties since Tuesday.

“The Simon’s Town fire erupted under extreme weather conditions, including very high temperatures, low humidity and strong southeasterly winds. These conditions, coupled with dry vegetation, created an ideal environment for rapid fire spread due to the high fire danger index.

“The increase in wind speed and consistent changes in direction further fuelled the spread to multiple areas.”

The TMNP said about 150 firefighters remained on site.

🔥Simonstown Fire Update🔥

Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) can confirm that an ongoing wildfire in the Simonstown area has burnt approximately 1140 hectares of veld.

➡️ https://t.co/P43U3ffZse#SimonstownFire pic.twitter.com/3EPc4Peq2u

— SANParks TMNP (@TableMountainNP) December 21, 2023

After two sleepless nights filled with uncertainty, locals are completely fatigued.

Speaking to Daily Maverick on Thursday night, Murdock Valley resident Sandra Viljoen said on Wednesday: “The fire came so close to us that we could really hear the fire last night [Wednesday night].

“I could actually hear the cracking of the flames from my bedroom,” she said. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: CT rescue teams under pressure from multiple blazes while Simon’s Town inferno continues to rage

Viljoen said three helicopters were water-bombing the area near her home on Thursday morning at about 5am, and – to her “relief” – the flames died down. However, the flare-up again in the evening had her fearful it would be another long night of worrying.

“We are all emotionally completely finished because it’s coming at you from so many different angles. It’s the constant helicopters over your head, the flames, the firefighters, who are so brave you kind of feel you cannot be exhausted and overwhelmed because they are more so, and then it’s the complete exhaustion,” said Viljoen. 

“I can see the flames from where I’m sitting right here – the absolute feeling of despair is awful. It’s just been such a long three days and it’s just relentless.” DM

Seven evacuees and a dog take shelter at Living Hope

Seven evacuees and a dog took shelter at the Living Hope community health centre in Kommetjie Road after it opened up its doors to evacuees late on Thursday evening, according to special projects coordinator, Living Hope, Avril Thomas.

Two of the seven evacuees stayed over for the night and left at dawn.

“It was around 10 pm when we realised that people had to evacuate, and we just made our property available for people who just wanted to come and park their cars … we just offered a safe place for people to come to,” she said.

The people were offered refreshments and WIFI, so that they could make calls to family members. “We offered some bedding, for people who just wanted to lie down,” she added.

One evacuee arrived with her dog, and was relieved to find a refuge for both of them, added Thomas.

Living Hope is  receiving donations for the firefighters, because many of them are volunteers, added Thomas.

Donations can be dropped off at Living Hope community health centre,  7 Kommetjie Main Road.  Reporting by Tapiwanashe Zaranyika. DM