The City of Cape Town’s Biodiversity Management Branch staff will conduct the annual ecological burns at various nature reserves in February and March 2022. The actual dates are dependent on weather conditions. Ecological burns are vital to the preservation of natural vegetation, among other things.

Residents should please note the approved potential ecological burns for this season. These are included in the table below:

Area  Size of Area         Preferred time to burn

Blaauwberg Nature Reserve   50.84 ha     February 2022

Botterblom Nature Reserve    2.9 ha         February – March 2022

Table Bay Nature Reserve, Parklands Fynbos Corridor         5.3 ha         February – March 2022

Haasendal Conservation Area          6 ha   February – April 2022

Helderberg Nature Reserve    20 ha March – April 2022

Meadowridge Common Conservation Area         1.5 ha         February – March 2022

Steenbras Nature Reserve     100 ha        February 2022

False Bay Nature Reserve, Rondevlei section    1.14 ha       March – April 2022

Zandvlei Nature Reserve        5-10 ha       March – April 2022

Uitkamp Nature Reserve         15 ha March 2022

Aurora Park Conservation Area        0.9 ha         February – March 2022

Aries Fontein Conservation Area      25-30 ha     February – March 2022

‘Carefully managed burns are necessary to obtain maximum species diversity. There are numerous benefits to burns. For example, by removing the canopy created by the mature vegetation, sunlight is allowed to reach the ground, which helps with seed germination. Fire also provided the critical germination cues of smoke and heat on which many of our unique plant species require to germinate. While fires occurring too frequently can lead to a decline in slow growing species and reduced seed production, too infrequent fires, for example fires that occur with an interval of more than 20 years, can lead to bush encroachment and the local extinction of species. Another advantage of burning old vegetation is that it reduces fuel loads, which in turn reduces the risk of wild fires,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

Competent, trained staff from the Environmental Management Department (EMD) will work with the Fire and Rescue Service as well as Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services. EMD staff will ensure that the procedure is conducted efficiently and safely.

Source: City of Cape Town