CapeNature recently hosted the Western Cape Umbrella Fire Protection Association and Provincial Veld Fire Working Group quarterly meeting at Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve.

The focus of the meeting included a fire season debrief. CapeNature extended its gratitude to all Provincial, District and Local Fire Services, the Western Cape Fire Protection Associations, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services, as well as other organisations that partnered with the entity over the past fire season.

It is through collaborations and excellent working relationships that we are collectively able to manage veld fires that may pose a threat in the Western Cape. Although fynbos is a fire-driven system, fires threaten biodiversity, and fire management remains a crucial aspect of CapeNature’s protected area management.

CapeNature and partners responded to 86 fires in the Western Cape from April 2021 to March 2022 resulting in a burned area of 24 959 ha. Regrettably, 20% of these fires were deliberately started by people.

Read more on fire prevention and fire management here.