Showcasing expert skill and precision, watch as pilots of no fewer than four helicopters in quick succession fill their buckets to help combat the fires currently raging the Constantiaberg mountains.
The dam, situation adjacent to the 10th fairway at popular golf course Westlake, offers a convenient source of water for the nearby fires.
Not all heroes wear capes.
Click HERE to watch the video – and turn up the volume.
Fire still burning
In the latest fire update at 11:30, aerial resources and ground crews continue to work relentlessly.
Choppers have been on the fire line on Constantiaberg since dawn, battling growing wind conditions as the fire got into invasive thickets.
Choppers now been diverted to the slopes above Stonehurst where strong westerly winds are pushing the fires east above the naval base where several hectares of dense invasive thickets pose a risk.
The fire has evidently run again down Muizenberg and Lakeside slopes, driven by the wind.
The fire broke out last Friday.
It quickly engulfed Boyes Drive, Kalk Bay and parts of Fish Hoek side, while on the Ou Kaapse Weg side, it moved towards Noordhoek resulting in the DRM assisting with the evacuation of 198 households from the Noordhoek Manor, including 48 frail care residents.
One female firefighter was injured and taken to the hospital.
The following road closures are in place and the public is requested to stay off the roads to allow free-flowing access for emergency vehicles:
– Zwaanswyk road – Closed at Tokai road. Traffic officers are directing traffic
– Ou Kaapse Weg – Closed
– Boyes Drive – Closed
Use Chapman’s Peak as an alternative
– Chapman’s Peak – Open
– Main road Kalk Bay – Open
Donations
The City of Cape Town has issued a call for public support, asking for donations to sustain the firefighters working under extreme conditions.
The immediate needs for the crews include:
- Bottled water
- Nutritional drinks such as Energade and Powerade
- Energy bars
- Saline-based eye drops to alleviate discomfort caused by smoke and ash
Officials emphasised the importance of keeping firefighters hydrated and energised as they face gruelling conditions on the fire lines.
Those wishing to assist are asked to deliver donations to designated collection points set up by the City.
Those donation points include:
- Newlands Fire Base
- Lakeside fire station
- Hair Gallery – 41 Tokai Road
- Pick n Pay Steenberg Village
SPCA on standby
SPCA emergency teams are on standby, ready to move into the fire zone the moment it is safe to search for and rescue animals who may be trapped, injured, and fighting for survival.
Once we can access the area, it will be a race against time to save those we can.
If you need urgent help evacuating pets, please call immediately on 083 326 1604.
Public Safety Notice:
Ou Kaapse Weg is closed in both directions.
All hikers and mountain bikers must avoid Upper Tokai and Silvermine.
Anyone still in Silvermine West (Gate 1) or Silvermine East (Gate 2) must evacuate now.
Ground crews and helicopters are battling this fire with everything they’ve got. We stand ready to do the same – for every animal whose life depends on us.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate to fuel our search and rescue efforts.
Stay clear of closed areas for your own safety.
If you live nearby, place shallow dishes of water outside, with rocks in them so that small animals can safely drink without the risk of drowning.
If you find an injured animal, please call the SPCA urgently on 083 326 1604. If it is safe to do so, contain the animal in a ventilated cardboard box, away from pets and high-traffic areas.
Have you ever considered volunteering as a firefighter?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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