Cape Town - Capetonians and those planning trips up and around Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) do not need to be alarmed about the fire burning on the slopes below Tafelberg Road.
TMNP’s Fire Management Department says TMNP is undergoing a prescribed biodiversity burn of about 10 hectares below Tafelberg Road.
The necessary burn, which began late on Tuesday, April, 2 will continue until Thursday, April 4, in the area between the prescribed burn conducted last year in March 2023 and the fire experienced in early December 2023.
A spokesperson for the South African National Park said the while the SANParks management services appreciated that signs of a fire burning on the mountain are a source of concern to many Cape Town residents.
However, uncontrolled wildfires, that may occur could pose a huge risk to life and property on the urban edge if the removal of dry flammable material, using a prescribed burn, is not carried out to reduce the likelihood of future uncontrolled wildfires.
The reasons for conducting prescribed burns in fynbos vegetation include:
* Efforts to reduce fire hazards by reducing the unnecessary fuel accumulated in the field as a result of Alien Plant Clearing operations.
* To rejuvenate the fire-adapted and fire-dependent fynbos vegetation and to form an essential part of control operations aimed at eliminating invasive alien plants.
Fynbos vegetation is fire-prone and fire-adapted, and the use of fire forms an integral part of the ecological management of the park.
TMNP’s Fire Management Department, in collaboration with SANParks Cape Research Centre, has developed a scientific Prescribed Burning Plan for the entire park.
The plan determines and prioritises areas for prescribed burning, taking into consideration veld age, rare and endangered species, alien clearing and protection of properties.
For the duration of the burn, fire crew will remain on scene after the fire to ensure mopping-up operations take place until the area is deemed safe.
TMNP is cautioning cyclists, hikers and trail runners to remain off the trails below and on the contour path above Tafelberg Road during the burn.
No disruptions are expected to affect the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway operations and visitors.