Table Mountain wildfire threatens University of Cape Town

A wildfire on the slopes of South Africa’s Table Mountain forced University of Cape Town students to evacuate on Sunday (April 18), as runaway flames set several campus buildings ablaze and firefighters used helicopters to water-bomb the area.

One firefighter sustained burn wounds and was hospitalized for treatment, officials said.

The fire started early on Sunday near a memorial to politician Cecil Rhodes, located on Devils Peak, another part of Cape Town’s mountainous backdrop, before spreading rapidly up the slopes.

Heavy smoke could be seen for kilometers away, some roads were closed and fire alerts were sent to mountain hikers.

The university, ranked among the best on the continent, is largely built on the slopes of Devil’s Peak and is situated close to where the fire started.

City officials said they have not asked residents in the popular Rondesbosch suburb and surrounding area to evacuate.

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