Fire is a part of the natural cycle in maintaining the health of the fynbos plant species.
The night sky glows red.
The desolate landscape.
After the winter rain, patches of green appear.
Plant life regenerates.
Plants such as Aristea spiralis flower after fire.
A baboon digs for corms or rhizomatous plants.
The littlest steals the show.
Nature on the Edge 
Beautiful set of photos of an important cycle. In Canada, we have been slow to realize the value of fire in the wilderness.
Fire can envigorate an environment. Nice series.
Great photos and ecological statement. Historically, we’ve had problems, mostly in the western U. S., because of too much fire suppression (leading to fuel accumulation) and our failure to understand and accept the role of fire in natural ecosystems.
Add to those aspects tinder-dry drought conditions, galeforce wind and fire rages out of control. It’s concerning to see the terrible runaway fire scenes in California and Butte the latest with the devastation of homes and the tragic loss of life. Here in the Cape a lot of attention is paid to clearing alien vegetation and fire management, maitaining firebreaks etc and with the recent fires encroaching into urban areas a real wake-up call to communities and homeowners to step up to their responsibilities on keeping vegetation contolled.
Many Australian plants actually need fire to open the seeds and make them reproduce.
Yes, that is the case here too – especially the protea species with their serotinous seed. Our botanists here get excited post fire as they track the flowering species which are usually crowded out by the more dominant.
Wonderful post Liz. Altho that fire looks truly frightening, rap in light of the runaway wildfires in the US west this year
It’s can be frightening to see the intensity and the immediate devastation of a bushfire but the regeneration when the rains come is amazing. As another commenter wrote, we need the heat of bushfires for some of our Australian native plants to germinate and our Indigenous population would use fire in this way to manage and care for the land. Great pictures, Liz!
Agree!! The runaway fires are the worst especially when driven by high winds. We’re seeing the high intensity too of fires driven by alien vegetation and learning costly lessons. Interesting that indigenous people (here too) realised fire’s benefits.
There is something about fire. And always after death… there is life…
Yes, fire keeps the balance. Six months later it’s amazing how the vegetation is resprouting.
A wonderfully illustrative series of pictures. The baboons are an unexpected detail and the baby is very sweet !
Thanks for commenting… and the baboons are a favourite subject 🙂
Sjoe … hartseer …
I find fire seriously scary but I’m sure if it’s managed… 😦