Another Tokai fire...

[capediver]

Looks like Tokai and the entire Constantiaberg area is on fire😔

Edited Sunday at 05:28 PM by capediver
Spelling

[Mamil]

Deliberately started according to news reports

[capediver]

Maybe I'm just naive but someone please tell me what is there is to gain by deliberately set fire to such an area? It's not the first time this has been suspected...

[Zebra]

1 hour ago, capediver said:

Maybe I'm just naive but someone please tell me what is there is to gain by deliberately set fire to such an area? It's not the first time this has been suspected...

If its KIDS/Juveniles, then likely to see the Helicopters collecting water from dams, and dumping it on the fire-line…

If ADULTS, then possibly disgruntled non-land owners, burning walking trails and MTB trails, much used by the well-heeled, land that could conceivably be used for housing…?

and EVERY city/town has its own Pyromaniacs, could be that?

…there are articles written about likely scenarios.

[Paul Ruinaard]

its also been found tp be the casual workers who work for the people who pu out firees. No fires = no pay.

 

Go figure

[Mamil]

A modest capital outlay and a similarly modest ongoing cost would buy a drone based control center for TMNP to co-ordinate ranger response and mitigate the crime risks and would be repaid in intangible and tangible benefits for all. There is not the will nor the competence to establish this unfortunately.

[capediver]

Looks like a major co-ordinated response to this! Lots of community support for the guys on the fire-line which is a really scary place to be....

However, there are reports of cyclists on trails that have been shut down....why?! Thrill seekers, youtubers?  whatever...if there is anyone on the Hub who was part of this...the guys fighting fires have a dangerous enough job, don't put them in more danger by them having to come rescue you! Jeez man, this is a major catastrophe and they don't need rubber-neckers getting in the way....

[Bro Derek]

12 minutes ago, capediver said:

Looks like a major co-ordinated response to this! Lots of community support for the guys on the fire-line which is a really scary place to be....

However, there are reports of cyclists on trails that have been shut down....why?! Thrill seekers, youtubers?  whatever...if there is anyone on the Hub who was part of this...the guys fighting fires have a dangerous enough job, don't put them in more danger by them having to come rescue you! Jeez man, this is a major catastrophe and they don't need rubber-neckers getting in the way....

Trails or roads?

They have shut down a number of Tar roads which serve as access to and from the deep south.

My understanding is that some cyclists used THESE roads. 

If anyone is currently on the mountain anywhere near Tokai or Wa Pad then they have broken through an active fire line and are riding in smouldering ash

[capediver]

5 minutes ago, Bro Derek said:

Trails or roads?

They have shut down a number of Tar roads which serve as access to and from the deep south.

My understanding is that some cyclists used THESE roads. 

If anyone is currently on the mountain anywhere near Tokai or Wa Pad then they have broken through an active fire line and are riding in smouldering ash

the report was "cyclists in areas that have been closed off due to fire damage. The public is urged to comply with all trail closures to ensure their safety"

 

https://www.facebook.com/TableMountainNP

[Vaultboy]

On 4/27/2025 at 9:05 PM, Zebra said:

If ADULTS, then possibly disgruntled non-land owners, burning walking trails and MTB trails, much used by the well-heeled, land that could conceivably be used for housing…?

This is an open access mountain with lots of different users, legal and illegal. Not everything is about emnity for rich people. 

[Zebra]

Fair comment, @Vaultboy

Chris

[Bro Derek]

2 minutes ago, capediver said:

the report was "cyclists in areas that have been closed off due to fire damage. The public is urged to comply with all trail closures to ensure their safety"

 

https://www.facebook.com/TableMountainNP

If anyone was up there riding bikes then they deserve to go to jail.

That is just ridiculous. 

It's really close to us. I watched it burn from mt bed last night. 

Everything is covered in Ash. Everything smells like fire and Panic.

Hopefully they can get it all burning back on itself and hopefully the rain comes

[nonky]

23 hours ago, Mamil said:

A modest capital outlay and a similarly modest ongoing cost would buy a drone based control center for TMNP to co-ordinate ranger response and mitigate the crime risks and would be repaid in intangible and tangible benefits for all. There is not the will nor the competence to establish this unfortunately.

There is enough will, competence and money for a "new" chopper, which is based at the Newlands Forest HQ and supposed to be used for exactly what you're proposing. 

I have seen it - it is smaller than the fire choppers and looks brand new in  its CoCt / TMNP livery.

 

https://www.capetownetc.com/news/table-mountain-national-park-enhances-security-with-new-helicopter/

[Vaultboy]

On 4/28/2025 at 10:01 AM, Mamil said:

A modest capital outlay and a similarly modest ongoing cost would buy a drone based control center for TMNP to co-ordinate ranger response and mitigate the crime risks and would be repaid in intangible and tangible benefits for all. There is not the will nor the competence to establish this unfortunately.

The outlay for those type of operations is not that modest, judging by farming and conservation communities invest. And for Table Mountain it will be particularly tricky, given the amount of trails, and literally infinite amount of access points. At best, SANParks could monitor the most popular areas, which would simply shift the pressure. SANParks have recently doubled their SEAM ranger capacity, but it is not nearly enough. Even with drones, response times would still be an issue. 

 

But all of that aside, would you really want drones buzzing overhead every time you go hiking up the mountain? And how would you really know that drone belongs to SANParks/SAPS/CoCT, and not some would-be robber, casing you?

[Loose cog]

It is about time that the government flattened the mountain creating space for additional housing. They could use excavated rock and soil to raise the Cape Flats to obviate future flooding. Spending millions every few months for the benefit of a couple of rich folk just doesn't make sense. 

[Shebeen]

According to a community WA group, sanparks have estimated 2700ha burned already.

Incredibly the 2 day old fire seemed very under control at Tokai sat pm/sunday am. and then all of a sudden it flared up again.

I don't see arson here, which does happen at times but then normally near the roadside and when the SE is pomping so it's easy. Quite often it's been "mountain dwellers" and also "religious groups" who camp out and chant for days.

 

 

very sad