Fire has been a friend of the Melville Koppies
Burning grassland rejuvenates rather than destroys when used deliberately by conservationists.
A recent fire at the Melville Koppies was reported through the lens of destruction to grasslands, something conservationists wish to dispel.
Chairman of the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve Wendy Carstens and fellow conservationist, Tam Scheidegger concur that, “People are always alarmed by the smoke and flames and crackle of winter grass fires that sweep across sections of the Koppies every winter. People should not compare these fires to the wildfire blazes that are destructive, like the fires in Sydney in 2019, Knysna in 2017, the Amazon Blazes or the fires in Canada earlier this year.”
They describe how carefully controlled fires, or burns, rejuvenate grasslands rather than damage them. “Grasses of Africa evolved with fire. Their meristems are below ground so they are not destroyed. So too are the indigenous veld flowers with underground bulbs.”
Moribund, the dried and dead material from the previous season’s growth, is removed which enables pre-rain veld flowers to grow fast, flower and seed before the taller grasses swamp them and deprive them of sunlight and air.
“Burning removes the load of dead material and returns nutrients to the soil, both essential factors for the health of the grasses. There are over 50 different species of grasses surviving on the Koppies.”
The conservationists agree that, “Our aim is to preserve this irreplaceable heritage of grasslands, and this is done by burning. Many of the fires in the Melville Koppies are controlled and burnt according to past detailed records of burning. This ensures they are done systematically.”
“Fires in the East dog walking area are often uncontrolled. Fires rarely start from a dropped lit cigarette. Most are from unsupervised candles or small fires left unattended after a traditional prayer has been made.”
Neighbours of the Koppies are continually warned to keep the perimeter borders free of combustible material free as the wind can sweep fires into properties.
Apart from planned controlled block burns, fires are used to create essential firebreaks to prevent uncontrolled fires from spreading.
Per example, a 5m firebreak is created by burning a very specific section of grassland by using backpack water sprayers to control the burn. Firebreaks often take several hours of careful and deliberate work by the conservation team, occasionally helped by Expanded Public Works Programme workers and some volunteers.
Carstens encourages people to visit Melville Koppies Central and East sections after burns and then visit again a few months later to see the veld in its natural beauty. “Fire has been a friend.”
Related article:
