South Africa: Kruger National Park is anticipating a lot more fires this winter season!

South African National Parks (SANParks) is anticipating a lot more fires in Kruger National Park during this winter fire season which usually takes place between June and October. Fires are a common and natural occurrence in the National Park which is found within the Savanna biome (also referred to as Tropical Grasslands), and like the Fynbos biome (Cape Floristic Region), is dependent on fires to keep the ecosystem functioning in a healthy manner.

A prescribed burn which took place at Satara in Kruger National Park ©SANParks

Research has shown that regardless of the fire management strategy (namely active use of fire as veld management tool or active fire suppression), fires will burn in Kruger National Park as long as there is enough grass to burn. This is because fires are primarily driven by how much grass is available (also known as fuel load). Fuel load is dependent on how much rainfall fell in the preceding growing season. Kruger National Park has experienced an exceptionally wet growing season this past summer, and the veld has responded by producing high fuel loads. SANParks is therefore anticipating a lot more fires this winter. Usually, less than 10% of Kruger National Park burns every year but as a result of the very wet rainy season, it is expected that roughly 20% of the National Park will burn this year. According to Kruger National Park General Manager of Communications, Isaac Phaahla, a large proportion of this will be controlled burns conducted by SANParks Rangers; but it is likely that unscheduled fires will also take place during the course of the year and these will be managed as they occur. SANParks records, monitors and maps all fires which burn in Kruger National Park using advanced satellite technology.

Regrowth after a prescribed fire ©SANParks

The high fuel loads increase the risk of large wildfires burning late in the dry season between August and October. Therefore, SANParks has begun securing its firebreaks around Kruger National Park'a infrastructure such as camps, staff quarters, entry gates and other key assets, as well as burning and grading firebreaks along the National Park's boundary. Furthermore, Rangers and scientists are currently burning early season fires in Kruger National Park to help break up the fuel load in the veld and reduce the risk of wildfires burning over large areas of the National Park.