City advises of prescribed ecological burn at Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve
24 March 2016
In order to preserve the natural vegetation in the City’s Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve, staff will conduct a prescribed ecological burn in April 2016.
Controlled ecological burn
The City of Cape town plans to burn approximately 5,2 ha (about 975 tons) of Cape Flats dune strandveld within the northern section of the Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve. Carefully managed burns of old vegetation are necessary to obtain maximum species diversity and to reduce fuel loads, which in turn reduces the risk of wild fires.
‘Our staff from the Environmental Resource Management Department are working with the City’s Fire and Rescue Service and partners to ensure that the procedure is conducted efficiently and safely.
‘The burn is planned for April 2016, but the actual date is dependent on ideal weather conditions. We can assure the surrounding community that all required burning permits will be obtained from the City’s Air Pollution and Fire and Rescue Service Departments,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Environmental and Spatial Planning, Councillor Johan van der Merwe.
Safety measures
The Fire and Rescue Service has also conducted the required pre-inspection of the area; fire-breaks have been maintained and widened where necessary; and firefighting equipment and fire hydrants have been tested to ensure seamless operations on the day.
For safety reasons, the reserve will be closed to the public on the day of burning and for a few a days after until the area is deemed safe.
‘We advise surrounding residents to keep their windows shut while burning takes place and would like to thank residents in the area for their understanding and cooperation,’ said Councillor Van der Merwe.
Residents should remove all flammable items e.g. gas canisters from outside areas and laundry should be taken off washing lines to prevent odour contamination from smoke.
Prescribed ecological burns are crucial for the management of this land as fire plays a fundamental role in the vegetation’s lifecycle. By removing the canopy created by the mature vegetation, sunlight is allowed to penetrate at ground level, which helps with seed germination. While fires occurring too frequently can lead to a decline in slow-growing species and reduced seed production, infrequent fires can lead to bush encroachment and extinction of local species.
Learn more
For further information, residents should please contact the Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve on Tel: 021 701 7542 or via e-mail to: Shihabuddeen.Khan@capetown.gov.za.
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