Only two hotspots left at Muizenberg fire

"The fire is under control; we are currently dealing with hotspots in Clovelly and Constantia north," spokeswoman Charlotte Powell said.

 

"The crews remained through the night and this morning [Thursday] helicopters will go out and inspect the area but currently the fire is under control."

 

By Wednesday, a total of 500 people had been evacuated since the fire began.

 

The fire started on Sunday and was contained, but flared up again just after 2am on Monday in Muizenberg above Boyes Drive. It was fanned by strong winds.

 

It spread to Ou Kaapse Weg, Chapman's Peak, Hout Bay, and Tokai.

 

One city fire-fighter sustained burn wounds and 52 frail-care residents from a Noordhoek retirement village were treated for smoke inhalation.

 

More than 2000 people were helping to quell the fire on Wednesday, the environmental affairs department said at the time.

 

This figure included 150 members of the department's Working on Fire (WoF) programme, spokesman Zolile Nqayi said in a statement.

 

Fifty more people from Volunteer Wildfires Services and 250 WoF fire-fighters had been dispatched from other provinces to join the effort.

 

A total of 26 aircraft had been in the air since Sunday, Nqayi said.

 

The 198 hours already flown cost an estimated R2.4 million.

 

About two million litres of water had been dumped on the fire in about 2000 water drops.

 

The helicopters used to water-bomb the flames had had to stand down because of the smoke and the weather.

 

Another fire broke out inside the Cape Point Nature Reserve on Wednesday, he said. A total of 13 properties were affected.