Fire Control & Road Maintenance
Fire control involves assistance with a planned burning program early in the season to promote healthy grasslands, scrub and forests. On the other hand, maintenance of fireguards is undertaken annually to control unplanned bushfires that have the potential to cause massive destruction late in the season when the bush is tinder dry.
Fire Management
Attitudes to fire management have changed drastically over the years and fire is now considered a useful tool in wildlife management if planned and used judiciously. Fire management involves “cool burns” that aim to improve the quality of the bushveld by removing moribund shrub growth, opening up forests and removing inedible grass. Nutrients are released back into the earth more quickly promoting regeneration.
Over-protection of fire is worse than under-protection because over-protection leads to stagnant bushy forests as opposed to healthy open woodlands. The forests have traditionally burnt naturally for thousands of years. Some trees such as Mukwa (Pterocarpus angolensis) require fire for germination. Block “cool burns” are best undertaken early in the season when the vegetation is sufficiently green and moist to prevent damage to growing plant tissue. The fire removes dead and decaying material only and is essential to promote a healthy forest. An added benefit is the reduction of pests such as ticks and mange mites.
Stopping Fires From Spreading
Monitoring Bushfire
Runaway Fire
Transporting Equipment to the Firefront
Fire Fighters Gaining Control
Firebreaks
In April and May, at the end of the rainy season, the bush is thick and most areas in the park have long grass and plentiful grazing. It is essential to protect the natural flora and keep this potential food source for animals safe long into the dry season.
Firebreaks aim to prevent runaway bushfires that due to dry vegetation coupled with high winds can be difficult to bring under control . These fires are often deliberately set by poachers. They are “hot burns” that usually occur late into the dry season and can cause immense damage to forests, scrub and open grassland.
There is a short window of time within which fire guards can be established. Work starts in May and must be completed by the end of June. Burning too early means the veld is too green and wet to burn, especially if we have been lucky enough to have an occasional late April shower. Later burning becomes risky as fierce winds and extremely dry vegetation means fires can easily run out of control. For this reason, burning is often undertaken at night when the wind drops.
Firebreaks are a laborious task. To start with, the ground must be cleared of rocks, roots, fallen trees, branches, and other obstacles that may cause damage to precious equipment. Then tractors are used to harrow two tracks about 70 metres apart. The area between these is control burned, and flanked by a clear track on either side, the resulting fireguard is about 80 metres wide. Extensive use of Blowers helps keep the burns from jumping out of control.
A network of fireguards throughout the park covers vast distances over rough terrain, and their upkeep is an annual undertaking. Vehicles and tractors require fuel and oils and regular maintenance is essential in keeping them running. Tires and other spare parts are expensive. The workers, who do a fantastic job in hot, tough, dirty conditions, must be fed and paid.
Road Maintenance
Road maintenance is an integral pillar of our work. If left unchecked, access roads in HNP quickly become overgrown, narrow and corrugated causing damage to vehicles and tractors.
Road upkeep allows easy access to the pans and solar panels, allowing for efficient maintenance to boreholes and solar pumps to ensure the survival of wildlife by providing much needed water. Easy road access is important for quick anti-poaching ranger deployment and decent roads are often an integral part of fireguard maintenance. Last but not least, a good road network is key in promoting tourism.
Roads are a constant work in progress – maintenance is an ongoing and never-ending task. In short, road networks are the life support system for our work and for the park.
