Camps Bay homes burned in mountain fire

At least four homes in the upmarket Cape Town suburb of Camps Bay have gone up in flames in the fire raging on the slopes of Table Mountain, John Brown, a city disaster management spokesperson, said shortly after 6pm today. "Four houses have been burned at this stage that I know of. There might even be more. It could even be up to six", he said.

Some other homes had also been under threat, he said. Off duty firefighters had been called in to fight the blaze. Every single disaster management staffer had reported for duty, as well as a number of volunteers, members of the public from as far a field as Atlantis.

A fire control point had been set up at the base of Kloof Nek, with ambulance, fire, traffic and disaster management teams. Asked if the fire, fanned by a raging southerly gale, was under control, he said: "It's difficult for me to say: I'm not a fireman. There's still lots of stuff smouldering; the wind is howling."

Earlier this afternoon, disaster management evacuated residents from several houses in the area. The cable station and a number of roads in the area were also closed off. Brown said helicopters had been water-bombing the fire since 11am. - Sapa