LANDBOU
Management and Fire Brigade Services’ aerial
response initiative, which this year provided
fixed wing aerial bombers. These have proven
highly effective in providing rapid assistance
to ground crews containing wild fire ignitions.
Furthermore, the establishment of active
Fire Protection Associations throughout the
entire Province means that there is increased
awareness among the public, and in particular,
amongst landowners. There are more
firebreaks, and management is taken more
seriously.
So, just how unusual was this past fire
season?
The El Niño - La Niña oscillation
Those weather watchers wishing to see
for themselves just how staggering the
data is, need only navigate to the following
website: http://www.weathersa.co.za/
climate/historical-rain-maps, courtesy of the
South African Weather Service (SAWS).
People involved in the field of veld fire
management are used to a summer season of
fire-fighting as veld fires spread throughout
the mountains and the dry fynbos vegetation.
This season was very different. Tony
Marshall, programme manager for fire at
CapeNature, indicates that this past season
has seen less than half the number of fires
experienced in previous years. Not only that,
but the area burnt equated to only 10% of
that burnt during the previous fire season
(2012/2013).
Tony is however cautious not to ascribe
the mild fire season to good rainfall alone.
A number of other factors could have
contributed, he says. Much of the protected
land managed by CapeNature is comprised
of young veld that has yet to reach maturity.
Staff have been trained, and are equipped, to
respond rapidly to wildfire ignitions in these
sensitive areas. They are ably supported by
the Western Cape Disaster
A study of die Western Cape’s rainfall records
stretching back to the middle of the 1800’s does
indicate that some seasons are “quieter” than
others. There appears to be a repeat of “quieter”
years on a cycle ranging from 7 to 10 years.
But just how variable this last season has been
w