SANParks to conduct prescribed burns on Table Mountain in March/April to help fynbos regenerate

CAPE TOWN - Residents living near Table Mountain have been advised to keep their windows closed as SA National Parks (SANParks) will be conducting prescribed burns below Tafelberg Road on the mid-slopes of Table Mountain and in Lower Tokai during March/April 2022.

These prescribed ecological burns are planned to occur during the natural summer to autumn fire season in fynbos.

Fynbos relies on fires every 10 to 15 years, SANParks said.

“If fynbos doesn’t burn often enough, proteas and other bushes get too old and their reproductive ability declines substantially.

"Prescribed burning is conducted under suitable weather conditions and at appropriate time intervals to encourage reproduction and growth in fynbos species and prevent the build-up of fuel loads. While a number of fuel reduction burns have been conducted in the area, this will be the first prescribed burn in the selected block in Lower Tokai,” SANParks said.

“Conducting the prescribed burns just before the rainy season starts enables veld regeneration, as the seeds being released will experience cooler conditions and receive rainfall over the months that follow.”

They further explained that in Lower Tokai, the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos is a critically endangered veld type and many of the plants that occur in this veld type are found nowhere else on Earth.

Threatened species in this area include Erica turgida (Macdonald heath), Babiana villosula (Autumn bobbejaantjie), Diastella proteoides (Flats silkypuff), Oxalis minuta (Mini sorrel), Lachnaea capitata (Lanky Stringbark) and Protea scolymocephala (Thistle sugarbush).

At Tafelberg Road, there is old vegetation below the cable station that has not burnt in recent fires. Due to the young surrounding vegetation, it is opportune to burn this old vegetation to stimulate regeneration of fynbos and for tourism infrastructure safety.

Park neighbours near the burn site have been informed about the burn.

While the actual dates of the burns cannot be predicted in advance as prescribed burns are only conducted when temperature, wind and humidity conditions are suitable for fire control, an announcement will be made on Table Mountain National Park’s (TMNP) Facebook page on the day of each burn.

Cape Times