Fire Management

History of Fire Management at Malilangwe

At Malilangwe, our fire management strategy is rooted in research. In 1996, we initiated our first study investigating the effects of fire on mopane woodlands, discovering that carefully applied burns could enhance grass productivity and improve forage quality in the following growing season. As a result, between 1996 and 2009 – a period of above-average rainfall – we used strategically planned, medium-intensity burns to remove moribund grass and stimulate fresh, more palatable growth.

Every burn is carefully designed and controlled. Weather conditions, wind direction, fuel loads, topography, and geology are all considered before a fire is ignited. This planning ensures that wildlife can move safely away from the burn area and that the fire achieves its intended purpose: managing vegetation rather than endangering animals.

Our approach to fire management has evolved over time as we’ve continued to make more discoveries. A prolonged dry period between 2010 and 2015 prompted a significant change in our approach. With grass in short supply, prescribed burning was largely reduced. While this helped conserve forage in the short term, it also provided an important lesson. The absence of fire allowed woody shrubs to encroach into open grasslands, reducing grass production, limiting visibility, and altering habitat structure across parts of the reserve. In response, we adapted our strategy to prioritize hotter and more intense burns, designed specifically to suppress invading shrubs and restore open savanna habitat. These burns were conducted as head fires late in the dry season, preferably on days when temperatures exceed 35°C, to maximise their effectiveness.

Our Fire Management Discoveries

Over the years, ongoing monitoring and research have continued to refine our approach. A few of our discoveries and management technique adjustments are as follows:

• Burning must be maximised during wet periods to compensate for the lack of fire in dry periods.
• Since grass production is depressed for up to two years after a fire, care must be taken not to burn too extensively or frequently. Our latest soil moisture content discoveries helped us recognize that burning every 4-5 years is optimal in upland topographic positions but should be extended to 6 years in bottom lands.
• It is important not to burn too small an area because concentrated grazing on the limited amount of fresh growth can damage the grass layer.
• Certain vegetation types are more sensitive to fire than others. We take care to exclude these vegetation types from burns or subject them only to cool fires

Our Fire Use Today

Today, fire management at Malilangwe remains both science-driven and adaptive. By combining long-term research, careful planning, and continuous monitoring, we use fire to:

• Maintain a flow of quality forage to support the herbivore populations
• Retard the growth of encroaching woody plants
• Maintain or enhance vegetation heterogeneity, and
• Reduce the risk of accidental or arson fires that may threaten the survival of important plant species or vegetation communities