A coordinated effort from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) and NCC Wildfires led to the successful rescue of a trail runner stranded on top of Junction Peak on Sunday morning.
The runner alerted WSAR after he had found himself surrounded by flames and smoke at the Smuts Track junction.
Also read: Update: Joint efforts underway to combat fire, multiple hiking trails closed
According to runner James Norbury, he was not aware of the fire which had broken out above Kirstenbosch when he began running at approximately 8am.
He had intended to race from the coffee box at the base of Platterklip Gorge, across the Back Table to the coffee box at Constantia Nek
‘I was running down Smuts Track from Maclear’s Beacon and turned right onto the Aquaduct Trail towards the Hely-Hutchinson Reservoir,’ Norbury told WSAR.
‘I was focused on running the technical trail quickly and hardly noticed the mist as I descended the trail. It was only when I smelled the smoke and felt the heat that I realised that I’d run into a fire.’
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Norbury added that he immediately followed the trail away from the fire but had found himself ‘surrounded by flames and smoke’ when he had reached the Smuts Track junction.
Due to the strong winds, the fire had reached all sides. With no safe escape route possible, Norbury was forced up the side of Junction Peak. Thereafter, the runner called the emergency number.
A small WSAR team, accompanied by NCC Wildfire firefighters jumped into action, setting out from the Waterworks Museum on the back of Table Mountain, across the dry Hely-Hutchinson Reservoir to find Norbury.
Upon arrival, Norbury was able to make his way down to Smuts Track where some rain had extinguished part of the fire. The firefighters guided the rescue team and rescued runner back to the safety of the vehicles below.
The incident was concluded shortly after 2:30pm.
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Picture: Tim Lundy / Wilderness Search and Rescue WSAR Western Cape / Facebook