The City of Cape Town is planning controlled burns at the Tygerberg and Bracken Nature Reserves during March and April to prevent runaway wildfires and rejuvenate the indigenous vegetation.

“These scheduled, controlled burns will help reduce the fuel load and create safe zones to prevent runaway wildfires,” says Jacques Küyler, Manager of the Tygerberg Nature Reserve.
The reserve is one of the largest conservation areas in the northern suburbs. It conserves approximately 300 hectares of Swartland Shale Renosterveld. Only 9.8% of this vegetation type remains within the city’s boundaries. The rest has been eradicated by residential development, agriculture and invasive alien vegetation.

“Strategies to conserve Renosterveld include invasive alien clearing, rehabilitation of indigenous vegetation, large herbivore management and the use of fire as a management tool.

“Conservation managers consider four to seven year burning cycles as desirable because the fire stimulates seed production and the rejuvenation of plant communities. Unburned Renosterveld tends to accumulate excessive fuel loads which increase the risk of runaway wildfires that pose a serious risk to both the natural environment, people and infrastructure,” says Küyler.

The burns will be subject to the National Veld and Forest Fire Act and the City’s Fire Safety by-law and will be conducted under strict supervision by the City’s Biodiversity Management Branch, Fire and Rescue Services, and the Friends of the Tygerberg Hills.

Residents living close by are urged to keep doors and windows closed for smoke and possible embers . They are also requested to ensure that fire hydrants are not obstructed and that emerency vehicles have unfettered access to the affected areas.