SANParks urges public to steer clear of Jonkersdam area following wildfire

SANParks is urging the public to stay away from hiking trails in the Jonkersdam area of Table Mountain National Park.

Firefighters managed to contain a wildfire that raged across the Roodeberg mountain ridge, coming close to properties in Capri on Thursday night.

Drones, a spotter plane and a water-bombing chopper were deployed on Friday to manage any flare-ups.

ALSO READ: Couple evacuated children, pets when roaring blaze invaded their property

Residents living in the Capri area shared some of their experiences of fire.

Charntley Wildschut, who has been living in Capri with his grandmother for 13 years, said he had to take action to prevent the fire from causing damage.

"The fire was just behind this ridge here and it was rising a bit, so I just jumped on my house's roof, and my house is made out of wood, so I just had to water down all the walls and then get off the roof."

Married couple, Aiden and Nina Bunnie, said the fire came quite close to their thatch-roofed house, forcing them to take precautionary action to evacuate.

"As soon as we left with the car, the emotion was very strong for me, because I was looking up to our beautiful mountain and it was just these lines of fire everywhere. I've never seen that so close to our property. I had tears at that moment."

SANParks said the Jonkersdam, Louisdale dam and Kleinplaas dam hiking trails would remain closed to the public until further notice.