Durban - CapeNature is calling on residents to play their part and help prevent fires as Cape regions brace for fire season.
“Due to the high number of fires that occur as a result of negligence, it is critical that everyone is aware of the significant role they can play in stopping veld fires before they start. Veld fires place all firefighters at risk as they put their lives in danger to protect life, property and biodiversity,” said the CEO of CapeNature, Dr Razeena Omar.
She added many of the fires CapeNature responded to could easily have been prevented. The costs to suppress veld fires were exorbitant, often associated with the loss of property and livelihoods.
Omar said between April 2021 and March 2002, they responded to 87 wildfires that burnt nearly 30 000 hectares of land, 11 more fires compared with the previous season.
She said CapeNature was able to contain 54% of fires where less than 10ha were burnt and 24% where less than 100ha were burnt.
CapeNature manages more than 800 000ha of protected areas in the Western Cape, of which most is part of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site. The Cape Floral Region is recognised as one of the most special places in the world for plants due to the diversity, density and number of endemic plant and animal species.
These protected areas are recognised especially for their diversity of endemic and threatened plants and conserve the outstanding ecological, biological and evolutionary processes associated with the distinctive fynbos vegetation, unique to the Cape Floral Region.
“Fynbos plants, such as proteas, need fire to stimulate them to release their seeds, which then germinate into new plants. However, many fynbos plants need more time to mature and set seed between fires and may be eliminated from these protected areas because of increased fire frequencies,” Omar said.
CapeNature is appealing to communities to practise fire safety, especially in the coming months.
“Open fires, especially during warm, windy days, are a common cause of uncontrolled fires and preventative measures include things such as only using designated fireplaces and facilities, never leaving a burning or smouldering fire unattended and avoid starting a fire when it’s hot and dry.
“Fire safety practices also means preparing your home to prevent fires. This includes reducing the fuel load around buildings, clearing a defensible space around your home and ensuring water availability in case of an emergency,” Omar said.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape government was expected to outline its plans to manage the risk of wildfires in a media briefing on Tuesday.
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