The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services confirmed that no property damage was incurred by a raging vegetation fire, which broke out along the R44 in Somerset West on Tuesday 9 December.
According to spokesperson Jermaine Carelse, firefighters mobilised after the blaze was reported via emergency call around 14:40. He said crews from Strand and Somerset West fire stations as well as the Wildland Strike teams from Sir Lowry’s Pass were dispatched to the scene, where vegetation near Bakkerskloof Road was well alight, with nearby houses in the vicinity of Bell Aire under threat.
“Two helicopters assisted with water-bombing the thick vegetation near the houses for about 20 minutes, from 15:20 to 15:40. Firefighters managed to protect the houses and extinguish the fire by 17:35,” he said.
“No property was damaged and the cause [of the fire] is still undetermined.”
