Cape Town - SANParks has confirmed the fires along Tafelberg Road in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) area are part of prescribed burns.
SANParks said they would be conducting these prescribed burns in March and April, under favourable weather conditions including when temperatures were under 25 degrees, moderate winds of less than 20km/h, and around 2-3 days after light rains had fallen.
SANParks said although they appreciated such burning was a source of concern to many Cape Town residents, wildfires would occur and an uncontrolled fire or wildfire could pose a risk to life and property on the urban edge and the removal of dry flammable material by means of a prescribed burn would reduce the likelihood of future uncontrolled wildfires.
“Fynbos vegetation is both fire-prone and fire-adapted and the use of fire forms an integral part of the ecological management of the park. TMNP Fire Management Department together with the SANParks Cape Research Centre has developed a scientific Prescribed Burning Plan for the entire park – this plan determines and prioritises areas for prescribed burning, taking into consideration veld age, rare and endangered species, alien clearing etc,” said SANParks.
They added residents in the adjoining areas of the park should be assured park management will do their best to minimise any possible inconvenience to adjacent households during the preparatory work and burning operations.
Owners and occupiers of adjacent properties who wish to lodge written queries/objections to the proposed open burning can direct all queries or objections to the Air Quality Management department on Tel: 021 444 2914 or via email to Bronwyn.Davidson@capetown.gov.za
The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company also advised visitors of the prescribed burns along Tafelberg Road.
“This means that you may see a burned landscape when you look down from the lower station, towards the city. During your visit at the Cableway you might encounter a bit of soot and some smoke,” it said.
Cape Times