Prescribed Ecological Burn – Lower Tokai Park

South African National Parks (SANParks) will be conducting an ecological burn in Lower Tokai, Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in the next week. This burn is planned as part of TMNP’s Integrated Fire Management Plan, meaning it is necessary and will be controlled to avoid its spread in the area or to nearby residential areas.

It is vital that SANParks conserves all components of biodiversity in the park as part of its World Heritage Site status. Prescribed burning is part of the biodiversity burning programme in multiple areas across the Park and serves the dual role of promoting biodiversity and reducing the risk of wildfires affecting neighbouring communities. These prescribed burns take place between February and April of each year and are only conducted under favourable weather conditions, i.e. temperatures under 25°C, moderate winds of less than 20km/hr and preferably two to three days after light rain has fallen.

An area in Lower Tokai of about 25 hectares has been identified for burning due to the fact that it has not burnt in 14 years and that it is showing signs of vegetation composition changing, such as proteas becoming senescent and geophytes not flowering.

An assessment of the highest risk areas in the park is done annually as part of fire management planning.

Whilst any fire could be a source of concern for some residents, it is important to emphasise that the risk of uncontrolled wildfires occurring in an area and spreading to nearby residential areas is far greater if these burns are not conducted, than if they are conducted under controlled conditions. An uncontrolled fire could pose a huge risk to life and property on the urban wildland interface, particularly if it occurs in strong wind and hot, dry conditions.

The reasons for conducting prescribed and stack burns in fynbos vegetation are:

• To rejuvenate the fire-adapted and fire-dependent fynbos vegetation
• To reduce fire risk by reducing the unnecessary “fuel” accumulated in field as a result of alien plant clearing operations
• 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 endeavour to minimize any possible inconvenience to households during the preparatory work and burning operations. On the day of the burn, surrounding residents are advised to 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.

The prescribed burn is planned for the period of Tuesday the 1st of April to 3rd of April, weather permitting. The recreational areas and walkways in this area of Lower Tokai will be closed to the public during the burn for the safety of the public, and regular park users should consider using the precinct adjacent to the Tokai Picnic site, or other areas of the park such as Silvermine or Newlands, on the day of the burn. The affected area will be opened as soon as it is safe to do so, and the fire is completely put out.

As per procedure, SANParks has obtained a burning permit through the City of Cape Town, and all relevant parties have and will be informed when burns take place.

Please follow SANParks TMNP Facebook page for a schedule of burning operations and or contact Newlands Fire Base number 021 689 7438 if you see smoke and wish to confirm whether burning operations are taking place in your area.

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Issued by: South African National Parks (SANParks)