2006 Table Mountain fire

Large fire on Table Mountain, South Africa September 2019 September 2019 Table Mountain Fire (2006) Table Mountain National Park, South Africa 26 January - 28 January 2006 33 57 0 S 18 24 30 E region:ZA-WC_type:event inline,title South Africa 220x250px Burning close to Vredehoek, 27 January thumb|right|Aftermath of the fire, looking from the edge of Oranjezicht towards the mountain The 2006 Table Mountain fire was a large fire in and around the Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town, South Africa. It broke out at approximately 4 p.m. on 26 January 2006 above Tafelberg Road, and spread quickly due to dry conditions and strong winds of up to 60 kn. It threatened to spread into the densely populated suburbs of Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Vredehoek and Gardens on the north side, as well as Camps Bay and Bantry Bay on the south side. Janet Chesworth, a 65-year-old British tourist, died from smoke inhalation while hiking near the lower cable station along with her daughter, Linda.Fires still a threat in hot, windy conditions Candice Bailey Independent Online http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20060130101029639C253528 30 January 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060208154641/http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20060130101029639C253528 8 February 2006 dead A group of three German tourists were found unharmed on the mountain, and two tourists were also airlifted off the mountain while they waited on a rock near the upper cable car station. Up to sixteen hikers were also reportedly stranded on Table Mountain and Signal Hill. A number of homes were destroyed, as well as three cars along Tafelberg Road. An estimated 7 km2 of fynbos vegetation was destroyed on the first day of the blazeTable Mountain fire battle won Mariette le Roux and Wendell Roelf Mail & Guardian http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=262576&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national 27 January 2006 and, according to conservation officials, approximately 40 to 50% of the world's Silver leaf tree population — found only in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Lion's Head and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden — had perished in the blaze.C Town to count cost of fires News24 http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1871014,00.html 27 January 2006 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930205212/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1871014,00.html 30 September 2007 Three helicopters from Working on Fire, a government-private poverty alleviation initiative, waterbombed the blaze for most of the afternoon of the 26th, but had to leave the area as darkness fell. At that time, the fire was being fought by 150 firefighters and twenty reserve firefighters as well as volunteer wildfire specialists from the Volunteer Wildfire Services. On the morning of 27 January, waterbombing by six helicopters aided by a spotter plane resumed when daylight returned, and the fire was seemingly under control by early morning.Table Mountain fire under control News24 http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1870545,00.html 27 January 2006 30 September 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210710/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1870545,00.html dead More than one hundred firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze, with the abating winds helping speed the process. However, in the early evening of the 27th the wind picked up, fanning hotspots still left over and by nightfall the mountain was ablaze, and, despite extra firefighters brought in from as far afield as Clanwilliam and Mpumalanga, a long night's work was predicted for emergency personnel.Table Mountain flares up again News24 http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1871200,00.html 27 January 2006 30 September 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181105/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1871200,00.html dead Around 4:30 a.m. on the 28th the fire severed an electrical main line that supplied some of the higher-lying suburbs, leaving them without electricity until late the afternoon. By this time, firefighters also reported that the fire was completely under control. With the wind keeping low during the night, no additional flare-ups occurred. Many citizens of Cape Town supported the firefighters with refreshments and in one case, fuel.Support overwhelms firefighters News24 http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1871162,00.html 27 January 2006 30 September 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070930230013/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1871162,00.html dead A 36-year-old British man, Anthony Cooper of Gowerton, was arrested on the 26th after allegedly causing the fire by discarding a burning cigarette butt from his car while stopped on the mountain. In addition to being charged with arson, he faced a potential culpable homicide charge after the death of the British tourist. The City of Cape Town noted its intention to pursue a civil claim against Cooper.Morris Michael 2006-04-27 http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=14&art_id=vn20060427100402985C301616 Cape Town to sue tourist for mountain fire Cape Argus 2006-05-20 On 23 May, after he failed to appear for an unrelated charge of driving under the influence two days before the fire, magistrate Ingrid Freitag issued a warrant for Cooper's arrest and provisionally forfeited his bail.2006-05-23 http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1937942,00.html Warrant for 'mountain arsonist' SAPA 2006-05-23 1 October 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071001003528/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1937942,00.html dead Cooper claimed that he had phoned the national emergency number when he realized a fire had started, allegedly through his own actions.2006-05-23 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/28/africa/AF_GEN_South_Africa_Mountain_Fire.php British tourist accused of setting Table Mountain fire appears in court International Herald Tribune 2007-01-28 In January 2008, Cooper was found not guilty of causing the fire, on the basis of reasonable doubt.2008-01-17 http://mg.co.za/article/2008-01-17-accused-found-not-guilty-over-table-mountain-fire Accused found not guilty over Table Mountain fire Mail & Guardian 2014-06-20 See also 2009 Table Mountain fire References External links South Africa's Table Mountain ablaze Biles, Peter: "Mountain ablaze above Cape Town", BBC News. Table Mountain fire Category:Table Mountain Category:Wildfires caused by arson Category:2006 wildfires Category:2006 disasters in South Africa Category:Arson in South Africa Category:Fires in Cape Town Category:January 2006 in Africa Category:2006 murders in South Africa Category:Arson in 2006 Category:January 2006 crimes in Africa Category:2000s fires in Africa Category:January 2006 in South Africa