A man has been arrested after allegedly starting four fires on Table Mountain on Tuesday morning, according to a City of Cape Town official.
"A lot of people have identified him. He was screaming his head off and clearly at the location where the four fires started so people suspected it may be him," said safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith.
The man was found with petrol and other fire-making devices, he said.
Western Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut, confirmed that Cape Town police arrested a man in his forties on a charge of arson.
Traut said they were investigating the circumstances around the fire.
The fires were above the lower Cableway station.
Firefighters were dispatched to Tafelberg Road just after noon.
Two fire engines and a water tanker were on the ground, while two helicopters were assisting from above.
#TMNP have dispatched @wo_fire choppers to assist with water bombing these fires along the #TableMountain Contour Path. #GoodLuck to the pilots. https://t.co/JRQu9Jitqf
— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) April 3, 2018
We can see two choppers in attendance: @TableMountainCa fires #CapeTown #TableMountain #Fire #Helicopters pic.twitter.com/tLsuNxmBf3
— Sarka Svoboda (@SarkaSvoboda) April 3, 2018
#TableMountainFire #CapeTown #TableMountain @wo_fire @cptfrs @smile904 @KFMza pic.twitter.com/8lQIKuW3Px
— Danelle de Wet (@Danelle_deWet) April 3, 2018
Literally five minutes ago, there were two fires on #TableMountain, all of sudden there are two more. pic.twitter.com/QI3yLtlgUG
— Scapegoat (@AndiMakinana) April 3, 2018
It's going to be a heck of a tough afternoon for the crews chasing #KloofCornerFire up #tableMountain. Wishing them all the best. We have our volunteers on the line as well. https://t.co/jRkr6XWyXt
— VWS Wildfires (@vwsfires) April 3, 2018
The mountain appears to be on fire... #TableMountain #mountains #fire pic.twitter.com/yh5OzVom6R
— AR_V007 (@V007Ar) April 3, 2018
Massive flames on the side of Table Mountain ?? Good luck to all those fighting @vwsfires pic.twitter.com/NbH75a7tTP
— Chelsea Harvey (@harvswashere) April 3, 2018