Resilience and solidarity during fast-moving, terrifying Cape fire

As firefighters fought the flames that threatened homes near Table Mountain National Park, emergency services and residents united to evacuate the vulnerable and support one another.

- By Kristin Engel

While firefighting efforts were being scaled back on Wednesday, 30 April, as the recent Cape Town fires were largely contained, residents in the affected communities relayed their fears and experiences of the past few days - getting their parents, pets and loved ones to safety amid the unpredictable flames.

Residents in affected communities said the recent fires in the Table Mountain National Park were eerily similar to March 2015, when fires spread in the same areas of the South Peninsula.

Some recounted being evacuated amid orange and red skies as flames inched closer and closer to their homes near the Noordhoek and Tokai mountainous areas.

More than 200 residents were evacuated from Faircape Life Noordhoek retirement village as the flames came ever closer on Sunday, 27 April, and close to 50 elderly patients in its healthcare facility had to be relocated to other facilities too.

Jamie Willis (88), a resident in the village, told Daily Maverick: "The fire was out of control. You could see it."

Willis said multiple helicopters were regularly water-bombing the area on Sunday, and the constant whirring of the rotors could be heard. He added that things could have turned out vastly different if not for the swift and coordinated response by the volunteer firefighting services, the City of Cape Town and its Disaster Risk Management Centre. Fortunately, no infrastructure was damaged or people injured.

Because of the facility's location on the mountain, village manager Monica Mason said its evacuation procedures were well rehearsed. In fact, the retirement village had a fire drill just last week. The residents prepared small go-bags with their essentials - their phones, chargers, medication and chargers for hearing aids - and also took their animals.