Block burns, or controlled fires, are now the order of the day in the Overberg, and yet when they are announced Facebook users express their disapproval. Their concerns are mainly the fauna and flora possibly being destroyed in the fires.
The Cape Agulhas Municipality did a block burn on the Heuningberg Nature Reserve on 21 March, giving a very simple and clear reason for wishing to burn a patch on the reserve.
It stated it regards management of the reserve as being its responsibility. The Heuningberg Nature Reserve is about 800 ha. “The area (52 ha) that was burnt will help stop fires coming over the mountain posing a danger to the town, or the other direction, threatening property on the southern side of the mountain,” the municipality said.
It said it is also important in any managed natural fynbos area to create a mosaic of veld ages. This not only restricts runaway wild fires, but also stimulates a healthy vibrant ecosystem.
“The Heuningberg Nature Reserve is home to more than 260 species of plants, 34 of which are endemic and a number of these, eg the Bredasdorp Lily (Cyrtanthus guthriea), are found only on the Heuningberg Mountain.
“Other plants include various orchids, Proteas (P. compacta, P. neriifolia P. cordata and others) Serrurias, Ericas and many others,” the municipality said.
“What is vital in the fire management of fynbos is that any management burn must have long-term funding and the staff infrastructure to control invasive alien plants.
“Without this the alien plants will become denser and further distributed than before. This is not only a threat to the indigenous species, but greatly increases the risk of runaway fires.”
According to an environmental expert who preferred not to be named, fynbos is designated to burn more or less every 15 years.
“There are even oils in the leaves to encourage burning,” he said. “Without fire the plants grow old and start to die off. The plant density on the ground is also so dense that there is no place for fresh seed to fall and grow.”
The expert said after a fire comes rejuvenation, where walkers will see species not seen since the last fire. He said a recovering veld is a most exciting place to be in.
“The Bredasdorp lily will flower again in far greater numbers until, over the years, the veld will overcome them and they become scarce. It may look terrible and it will kill some and drive away the birds, but all will recover until the cycle starts again in about 15 years,” he said. “One caution is that fire also stimulates the seed of alien invasive plants such as the Australian acacias, pines, wattles, and so on. These must be eliminated or they will suffocate the fynbos.”
