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Are Fynbos Fires Random?

We regularly request additional data from atlassers when suspect or interesting data are received. Names will not be mentioned, but Jonkershoek burned down at exactly the time a batch of queries for species in the area should have hit the mailboxes. Is someone stopping us getting exciting new data? Or is someone burning his mistakes?

Similarly, a newly discovered population of Pa adiantifolius - containing some 20 plants which had only ever flowered once - burned out in a fire which escaped from Bot River within a week of the find. Before the data even became electronic! A week later and we would never have known. This population did its best to remain secret. First our route was blocked by a deep gully, but we sorted this out. However, while climbing out of the gully a large rock attempted to crown Erica Forder and drag her down the mountain. Fortunately, Erica is made of sterner stuff, but she still required stitches and lots of bed rest. (Erica is now fully recovered and we wish her well! We hope the incident will not put her off atlassing). The area burned out before Erica was up and about! Fortunately, Nick Helme and Stephen Richardson have atlassed other populations of this species at Wolfieskop, otherwise we would be in despair! The fire from Bot River literally burned out a narrow strip from the town straight up to the colony and stopped a few hundred metres further up. We hope that the few seeds produced before the fire (less than half the plants had flowered in what was obviously their first flowering) will be sufficient to keep the population alive.

Although we are not suggesting in any way that atlassers were involved in these fires, please be especially careful in the mountains during summer. This applies particularly if you regularly visit sites of rare species.

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