Arson-suspected wildfires burn Table Mountain slopes; no injuries, some vehicles damaged, partial control achieved.

Helicopters continued to drop water on extensive fires burning along the slopes of South Africa's Table Mountain on Tuesday, as police launched an investigation into the possibility that the fires were caused by arson.

The fires were initially reported on Friday by Table Mountain National Park, which stated in a release that it believed three separate fires had been deliberately started. Police confirmed that one individual had been arrested on suspicion of arson.

The park estimated that around 3,000 hectares (11 square miles) of vegetation had already been destroyed by the blaze. Approximately 250 firefighters have been deployed to tackle the fires, according to park officials.

The fires are burning on the rear slopes of the mountain and have not affected the iconic flat-topped section that overlooks Cape Town's city center.

Table Mountain is especially vulnerable to wildfires during the hot, dry months from November through April. The most recent major fire before this incident occurred in February.

The City of Cape Town reported that the fires were partially under control, although there were ongoing concerns about potential flare-ups. Wildfires in the area are often intensified by powerful coastal winds, which can cause the flames to spread quickly and become uncontrollable.

No injuries have been reported, and no private homes have been damaged, said city official JP Smith. However, he noted that four vehicles and a motorcycle parked in a car park had been destroyed, and several other cars had sustained damage.

In response to the fire, authorities temporarily closed several roads and hiking trails in the area. Nearly 200 people, including residents of nursing homes, were evacuated on Sunday but were later allowed to return to their homes, according to the park.

Smith added that firefighting teams made significant progress overnight by deploying thermal imaging drones to track the direction in which the fires were advancing.