The fire on Table Mountain this morning, Wednesday 29 March, is a controlled one. It was scheduled to take place from 2:00am.
Table Mountain on fire this morning ? ?? pic.twitter.com/87lPcZprfl
— Nicola Wade (@Nixiljuice) March 29, 2023
SANParks released a statement:
Prescribed burns take place under favourable weather conditions: temperatures under 25°C, moderate winds of less than 20km/hour and two to three days after light rain has fallen.
‘Although we appreciate that such burning is a source of concern to many Cape Town residents, it must be stated that wildfires will occur and an uncontrolled fire or wildfire could pose a huge risk to life and property on the urban edge. The removal of dry, flammable material by means of a prescribed burn will reduce the likelihood of future uncontrolled wildfires,’ the statement reads.
Fynbos vegetation is both fire-prone and fire-adapted and the use of prescribed burns 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 scientifically prescribed burning plan for the entire park – this plan determines and prioritizes areas for prescribed burning, taking into consideration veld age, rare and endangered species, alien clearing, biodiversity as well as protection of properties, etc.
The reasons for conducting prescribed burns in fynbos vegetation are:
- To reduce fire hazards by reducing the unnecessary ‘fuel’ accumulated in the field as a result of Alien Plant Clearing operations
- To rejuvenate the fire-adapted and fire-dependent fynbos vegetation
- To form an essential part of control operations aimed at eliminating invasive alien plants
Residents in the adjoining areas of the park should be assured that park management will do its best to minimise any possible inconvenience to adjacent households during the preparatory work and burning operations. Where adjacent properties to the park may be affected by a prescribed burn, park management will make an effort to inform such landowners and residents of the intent to carry out a burn in good time.
When the burn takes place, surrounding residents are advised to please keep their windows shut. Flammable items such as gas canisters should be removed from outside areas and laundry should be taken off washing lines to prevent odour contamination from the smoke. Please consider pets and people with asthma.
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Picture: Murray Swart / Cape {town} Etc