Cape Town’s Table Mountain blaze — rockfalls, closed trails and continued firefighting in difficult terrain

By Monday, about 60 hectares had burned, as 83 firefighters were still battling the fire that broke out in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in the early hours of Sunday, with difficult conditions on steep slopes and rugged terrain.

According to SANParks, despite warnings that hiking trails in the area were closed as a result of the fire and that the public should avoid the area, people were encountered along the burnt trails on Monday morning.

SANParks’ JP Louw said firefighting crews walked into the fire line at first light on Monday to relieve those who had fought the blaze throughout the night. Two helicopters and a spotter plane had been dispatched at 6.40am to contain the spread of the right flank of the fire, which was spreading towards Devils Peak. 

The major concern was the wind prediction for Monday afternoon, which Louw said could significantly affect the Devil’s Peak section of the fire, which meant the current priority was mop-up operations and containing any potential spread in this area.

Another 20 firefighters had also been sent to fires on Signal Hill and in Ocean View on Sunday evening from SANParks, the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and Provincial Disaster Management. 

“Approximately 60 hectares of veld have thus far burned in the Newlands Ravine and Devil’s Peak area. Overnight, multiple flare-ups occurred in inaccessible areas, requiring crews to remain on scene at both the base and head of the fire for continued monitoring and suppression efforts, where accessible,” Louw said.

SANParks advised that the hiking and running trails in Newlands, Devil’s Peak and Maclear’s Beacon remain closed until further notice for safety reasons. 

“Rockfalls have occurred due to the fire and boardwalks have burnt, making the trails unsafe for hikers,” Louw said.

The public was urged to strictly adhere to these trail closures for their safety and to allow firefighting teams to complete their operations unhindered.

Fire suppression efforts continue on the second day of the Newlands blaze, which had burned 60 hectares since it started in the early hours of Sunday. (Photo-SANParks)

Start of the blaze

The fire, affecting the Newlands and Kirstenbosch area of the TMNP, burnt ferociously from 3.40am on Sunday. The 50ha that burnt by Sunday afternoon are roughly half the size of the Cape Town CBD.

The blaze was visible from around the city. Photos and videos of the fire making its way down the mountainside towards the Newlands and Kirstenbosch sections were circulating by early Sunday morning.

The blaze makes its way down Table Mountain on Sunday. (Photo: X / @MikhailManuelCT)

South African National Parks (SANParks) urged people to avoid the affected Newlands, Kirstenbosch and Rhodes Memorial areas. TMNP warned that trails in the Newlands and Kirstenbosch area were closed and that authorities continued to monitor the situation closely.

When the fire broke out, the TMNP cautioned that it was burning in an inaccessible area above the Lady Anne Barnard trail, with a possibility of the fire spreading to the Back Table.

At about 7am, firefighters had been battling the blaze for three hours in challenging terrain with ground crews unable to access water sources for vehicles and hoses. Aerial support had been called in to control the flames.

Fortunately, things turned around.

At about 2.30pm on Sunday, Lauren Howard-Clayton, TMNP Communications Manager for SANParks, said “Firefighters are continuing their battle against the flames in the Newlands area of Table Mountain National Park. Currently, 80 firefighters are on the scene, supported by three helicopters and a spotter.”

Howard-Clayton said one team had just been airlifted to the head off the fire on the Back Table near McClear’s Beacon.

She confirmed that about 50ha had burnt so far, which could be a significant area for a fire, especially in a windy mountainous terrain where flames could spread unpredictably.

The cause of the fire remains unclear.

? Update on Newlands Fire ?

Firefighters are continuing their battle against the flames in the Newlands area of Table Mountain National Park. Currently, 80 firefighters are on the scene, supported by three helicopters and a spotter. pic.twitter.com/vSyM1RGnjj

— SANParks TMNP (@TableMountainNP) February 23, 2025

While officials battled to get the Newlands blaze under control, multiple fires had been raging in the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), in the larger Western Cape over the weekend and the previous week – Witzenberg and Wellington had the most problematic fires with teams still battling to control some of the flames.

“The Cape Winelands District Municipality, together with resources from CapeNature and Witzenberg Municipality, have had a very challenging night fighting fires in difficult circumstances,” CWDM spokesperson Jo-Ann Otto said on Sunday morning.

On Wednesday last week, Otto said a fire that started on Oaklands farm above Wellington had been most problematic. Gale-force winds and high fuel loads provided by eucalyptus plantations and other vegetation caused the fire to spread very quickly. The fire travelled down to the Slangrivier Road which it jumped and moved into the Bo-Hermon area.

Otto said that through consistent backburning, teams were able to divert the fire from reaching horse stables and a protea plantation.

“Despite multiple crews, firefighting tankers, purpose-built Land Cruisers and the support of local farmers and agricultural workers, two sheds and a home have been destroyed. Two cottages high on the mountainside were evacuated; however, fire services were able to protect these structures,” Otto said.

On Sunday morning, Otto confirmed that in Wellington, the fire at Dunstone had been contained on Saturday night while the Rooshoek fire was reported to be contained by 2am on Sunday. Teams continue to monitor and mop up in that area.

“Teams from CWDM and CapeNature successfully drove the fire back into the plantation, where it could burn itself out.”

Otto said the fire at Oaklands had no active flames on Sunday morning, but the area was extremely hot, with a lot of smouldering coals and tree stumps. Teams were prepared for possible flare-ups. DM

This article was updated at 1.55pm on 24 February 2025.

Read more about wildfires and their impact in the Western Cape in Daily Maverick’s 2024 series on wildfires. The 2023/24 wildfire season was described as one of the province’s most intense fire seasons in years.

• Part 1: Taking stock — staggering scale of Western Cape wildfires as fire season continues to rage


• Part 2: Crucial lessons for future preparedness from the Western Cape fire season


• Part 3: Fingers pointed at City of Cape Town for allegedly not maintaining firebreaks