The period between July and August (the end of winter) is the ideal time for conducting a controlled burn on Stellenbosch Mountain.
This is according to Wayne Josias, deputy fire chief at Cape Winelands District Municipality.
This is because prescribed burns can only be conducted under specific weather conditions, explained Josias. The fires must be conducted out of season (during winter months) on low fire danger index days and before a period of substantial rainfall, he stated.
“Controlled fires assist in reducing the build-up of dead plant material that can fuel very damaging wildfires that can take place under hot, windy conditions, where control is difficult,” said Nicola van Wilgen-Bredenkamp, a zoology research associate at Stellenbosch University. SOURCE: Cape Point South Africa Cape Point South Africa. GRAPHIC: Téa Bell
Preventing wildfires
According to Brian du Preez, a Stellenbosch-based botanist, it would be wise for Stellenbosch Municipality to conduct prescribed burns on municipal-owned parts of Stellenbosch Mountain as soon as possible in order to avoid the outbreak of wildfires in the area near Coetzenburg.
“[To date, the municipality] has been doing fire suppression every time a fire occurs and stopping the fire along the mountain’s roads but not allowing it to burn all the way down to just before the sports fields,” claimed Du Preez.
Prescribed burns can only be conducted out of season, on low fire index days and before a period of substantial rainfall, said Wayne Josias, deputy fire chief at Cape Winelands District Municipality. According to Josias, the period between now and the end of winter is the ideal time to conduct a burn. PHOTO: Téa Bell
Because fires have not been allowed to burn to the base of the mountain, a large amount of fuel load has built up in this area, according to Du Preez.
Fuel load refers to dead plant material that can fuel “very damaging wildfires”, said Nicola van Wilgen-Bredenkamp, a Global Change Scientist at Stellenbosch University.
Not without risk
The risk of losing control of a prescribed burn is minimal if the correct procedure is followed and burns are conducted under the correct weather conditions, stated Josias.
“Before getting approved for a control burn permit, a fire officer will do an inspection and observe whether or not there’s enough clearance around the area where the burn will be taking place,” he said.
“A cigarette butt on the ground, someone making a fire where they shouldn’t, farmers burning rubble – all of that could start a fire and once the fire gets to dry vegetation it burns very quickly,” said Brian du Preez, a Stellenbosch-based botanist. Du Preez suggested that Stellenbosch Municipality initiate controlled burns on Stellenbosch Mountain as soon as possible to avoid the potential outbreak of wildfires, which are particularly prevalent during drier months. PHOTO: Téa Bell
The benefits outweigh the costs
The benefits of conducting a prescribed burn far outweigh the potential costs, said Du Preez.
“A cigarette butt on the ground, someone making a fire where they shouldn’t, farmers burning rubble – all of that could start a fire and once the fire gets to dry vegetation it burns very quickly,” he said.
Conducting prescribed burns reduces the risk of wildfires breaking out under hot and windy conditions where control is difficult, according to Van Wilgen-Bredenkamp.
“It is much better to have a controlled burn than an uncontrolled burn,” said Du Preez.
By the time of publication, it could not be confirmed whether a controlled burn is planned for this season. Stellenbosch Municipality had not responded to media queries by the time of publication.