Cape Town wildfire forces evacuation of university students
A wildfire on the slopes of South Africa's Table Mountain has forced the evacuation of students from the University of Cape Town
A wildfire raging on the slopes of Cape Town s Table Mountain forced the evacuation of students from the University of Cape Town on Sunday.
Wind spread the blaze across dry brush and burned part of the Rhodes Memorial Restaurant, according to local media. Some buildings on the university campus caught fire, and a historic windmill nearby burned, photos of the fire showed.
More than 100 firefighters and emergency personnel were deployed to the university campus and to Table Mountain National Park. Four helicopters were being used to drop water on threatened areas, officials said.
One firefighter was injured and being treated at a hospital, according to the Cape Town fire and rescue department.
Residents have been cautioned to be on alert, Charlotte Powell, spokeswoman for the city's disaster risk management center, said in a statement.
“At this stage, there’s no cause to evacuate, but we ask that residents adhere to the following: close all windows to prevent draft and reduce heat, damp down your garden using a hose or irrigation system," Powell said.