Following the recent spate of fires that ravaged various parts of the Western Cape, including the recent Simon’s Town blaze which firefighters and aerial resources tackled for approximately five days two weeks ago, Smitswinkel Bay Trail will be closed to the public until further notice.
Also read: Firefighters battled for 5 days to contain fire on Paardeberg slopes
‘Due to the recent Simon’s Town fires, that swept through parts of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), management has made the decision to close the Smitswinkel Trail…until further notice,’ read SANPark’s announcement on Facebook.
According to TMNP management, the decision to close the trail, which runs from the Smits Tented Camp over Swartkopberg to Simon’s Town, was made as a safety precaution.
‘No permits will be issued as we need to reassess, maintain and ensure the trail’s safety,’ the announcement continued.
TMNP advised the public to ‘stay tuned for updates’.
This comes after the festive cheer in Cape Town was forced to take a backseat to a period of intense fire incidents exacerbated by strong and damaging wind conditions.
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Festive season overshadowed by fires and enforcement incidents