For more information on the burning programme please be sure to attend the Public Meeting:
Indien jy meer inligting aangaande die brand program wil he, woon asseblief die Publieke Vergardering by:
Date / Datum : 14 March 2014
Venue / Plek: Cape St Francis Resort
Time / Tyd: 18:30
A burning issue
Our area is in the very fortunate position that we have a Working on Fire crew that is currently based in St Francis Bay. The Working on Fire Project (WoF) was launched in September 2003 as part of the South African Government’s initiative to create jobs and to alleviate poverty. The project employs more than 5000 young men and women who have been fully trained as veld and forest fire fighters. They act according to Intergrated Fire Management practices, that are designed to not only prevent fires but maintain ecological sustainability in areas where vegetation types require burning in order to maintain the biodiversity .
Initiating a controlled burn in the fynbos reserves surrounding Cape St Francis is not just about “green” issues. If Fynbos is not burned it will gradually be replaced by thicket species and large amounts of dry kindling will build up. When (not if) a fire then breaks out the dry kindling adds the proverbial fuel to the fire, the fire not only burns hotter but becomes very difficult to manage and control.
Fire in Fynbos is far from a disaster, but rather a crucial trigger that resets the fynbos ‘succesional clock’. It provides the stimulus for dormant seeds to germinate and the opportunity for many annuals, short-lived perennials and bulbs to grow, flower and seed during times of abundant nutrients and sunlight. They complete their short life cycles, returning to the soil as the larger shrubs overwhelm them, and remain dormant until the next fire. The optimal fire cycle for fynbos is between 10-14 years. Shorter fire cycles can wipe out slow maturing species, while species start dying when intervals become too long.
The best way to protect both the wonderful biodiversity of the fynbos in our area as well as the properties bordering on these fynbos reserves is through a controlled burn by experienced crews.
We are now in the very fortunate position that we have the opportunity to make use of these well trained fire crews to initiate a controlled burn in the Nature Reserves surrounding the village. The current plan is to burn the whole of the Irma Booysen Reserve, towards the end of March or April, the fire crew will backburn against the Easterly wind. A vital advantage for allowing the Working on Fire crews to initiate control burns is that they carry full insurance in the case of any damage to property. The Working on Fire helicopter will also be in attendance during the control burn.
‘n Brandende Kwessie
Ons area is in die baie bevoorregte posisie dat ons ‘n Werk teen Vuur span het wat tans in St Francisbaai gebasseer is . Die Werk teen Vuur-projek ( WoF ) is in September 2003 van stapel gestuur as deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se inisiatief om werk te skep en armoede te verlig. Die projek het al meer as 5000 jong mans en vroue opgelewer wat ten volle opgelei is as veld en bos brandweermanne . Hulle bestuur projekte volgens geïntegreerde vuur bestuur praktyke , wat ontwerp is om nie net brande te voorkom nie, maar ook ekologiese volhoubaarheid te handhaaf in gebiede waar die tipe plantegroei brand benodig om die biodiversiteit te verseker.
Om ‘n beheerde brand in die fynbos reserwes omliggende Kaap St Francis te begin is nie net ‘n “groen ” kwessie nie. As fynbos nie brand nie sal dit geleidelik vervang word deur ander bos spesies en groot hoeveelhede droë hout en brandmateriaal bou op. Wanneer, nie as nie, ‘n brand dan begin verskaf al die droë hout goeie brandmateriaal en is dit soos die spreekwoordelike olie op die vuur , die vuur brand nie net warmer , maar word ook baie moeiliker om te beheer te bestuur.
Vuur in fynbos is nie ‘n ramp nie, maar eerder ‘n belangrike sneller wat weer die fynbos se groei ritme stimuleer. Dit bied die stimulus vir dormante sade om te ontkiem en die geleentheid vir baie jaarplante , kortstondige meerjarige plante en bolle om te groei , te blom en saad te maak omdat daar ‘n oorvloed van voedingstowwe en sonlig beskikbaar is. Die plante voltooi hulle kort lewensiklus, en keer terug na die grond as die groter struike hulle oorweldig. So “slaap” hulle weer totdat die volgende brand hulle weer “wakker maak”. Die optimale siklus vir brande in fynbos is tussen 10-14 jaar. Korter brand-siklusse kan stadige groeiende spesies uitwis, terwyl baie spesies begin doodgaan as die intervalle tussen brande te lank raak.
Die beste manier om beide die wonderlike biodiversiteit van die fynbos in ons omgewing , sowel as die eiendomme wat grens aan die fynbos reservate te beskerm, is deur middel van ‘n beheerde brand wat deur ervare spanne bestuur word .
Ons is nou in die baie gelukkige posisie dat ons die geleentheid het om gebruik te maak van die goed opgeleide vuur spanne om ‘n beheerde brand in die natuurreservate rondom die dorp te inisieer . Die huidige plan is om die hele Irma Booysen Reservaat te brand. Die beplanning is om die brandplan teen die einde van Maart of April te begin. Die span beplan om terug te brand teen die oostewind . ‘n Belangrike voordeel van die Werk teen Vuur -spanne is dat hulle ten volle verseker is in die geval van enige skade aan eiendom . Die Werk teen Vuur helikopter sal ook op bystand wees tydens die beheerde brand .
Cape St Francis News 