TO BURN OR NOT TO BURN ?

The proposed burn of the Irma Booysen Nature Reserve has been called off. The plan to burn parts of the Irma Booysen Nature Reserve were set in motion by FOSTER in conjunction with Working For Fire.

It was felt that this was necessary to reduce the run away fire risk of a reserve with a huge accumulated ‘fuel load’ and was also recommended to assist in the regeneration of certain fynbos species. The fire was to be managed by Working For Fire, a highly professional, well equipped group of fire specialists. Due to some opposition to the burn, FOSTER has withdrawn from the project.

“ From an ecological point, a fire is inevitable so the veld will receive its regenerating punch no matter what we do.” Richard Cowling of FOSTER. It seems the question is do we want a fire under perfect and controlled conditions with abundant expertise and equipment on hand or do we want an opportunist run away fire probably under howling wind conditions with limited mechanical help on hand?

IRMA BOOYSEN NATURE RESERVE TO BE BURNED:

A ‘burn’ of the Irma Booysen Nature Reserve is planned for the 15 th April dependent on favourable weather conditions. FOSTER’S decision to request Working on Fire to burn a section of the Irma Booysen Flora Reserve rests on a fire-risk case and a biodiversity case

Firstly, it has been more than 20 years since the area was last burnt in a wildfire. This has enabled a large load of highly flammable material, notably blombos, knoffel buchu and other fynbos shrubs, to accumulate. Burning will eliminate this fuel load and it will take at least 10 years for a similar fuel load to become re-established. Ultimately, burning will reduce the risk to the property of adjacent landowners of a wildfire since – with the lower fuel loads – it will make fire fighting it much easier task. If it were not for the effective fire control measures that were introduced to the Thatch Farm, the last fire that started in the refuse tip and spread towards the village, serious damage to property damage would have occurred.

Secondly , the fynbos in the reserve requires regular fire in order to maintain its health and maximise species numbers. At present, the veld in the Irma Booysen Flora Reserve is rapidly becoming senescent. In other words, in the absence of a rejuvenating fire, many of the fynbos shrubs are beginning to die. New individuals (“babies”) of these species appear only after fire; hence, in the absence of fire some of the fynbos shrubs may become locally extinct. These shrubs include species that are threatened with global extinction, namely the lemon buchu and coast phylica.

FOSTER’s hopes that residents of Cape St Francis will understand their decision and support FOSTER in maintaining a healthy reserve system.