Grass Fires Research Articles

Effect of spring grass fires on vegetation patterns and soil quality in abandoned agricultural lands at local and landscape scales in Central European Russia

IntroductionAbandonment of agricultural land is often happening all over the world and widespread in Russia. Such lands are subject to successional changes in vegetation and it seems necessary to provide effective methods for a sustainable ecosystem management of those lands. However, factors which determine successional processes, especially fires, have not been studied in detail. The aim of this article is to reveal how spring grass fires affect the abandoned arable lands in the study area at the landscape and local scales.MethodsA region of 265.5 km2 located in the south of Moscow was studied. At the landscape scale, we analyzed the spatial characteristics of the area in relation with a 30-year history of spring fire events extracted from the Landsat archive, and climatic data. Logistic regression was used. At the local scale, we sampled soil and vegetation at two sites and in three biotopes at each site: mature forest and two neighboring biotopes affected and unaffected by fire. Plant species diversity, soil quality, and relationship between soil and vegetation were assessed by ANOVA, v test, NMDS, and dbRDA.ResultsAbandoned lands covered 39% of the study area and not less than 72% of these were affected by grass fires, happening mainly between 1998 and 2014. Man causes the ignition of the field layer accidentally, but the area over which the fire spreads is determined by climatic factors and the presence of flammable material (dry grass and litter) for burning. High March temperatures and low precipitation values in April increase the inflammability of dry grasses which are abundant on the former fields. As a result, burnt areas are steadily expanding in abandoned lands where trees are scarce. On abandoned lands that were either affected or unaffected by fires, two different plant communities developed, respectively: grassy vegetation mainly dominated by Calamagrostis epigeios and young forest of pioneer trees with high crown coverage. Practically all soil variables were statistically different in three biotopes at the research sites. Plant species composition was best explained by six soil variables: P2O5, C/N, pH, K, SOC, and N values.ConclusionsWe showed the key role of grass fires in the formation of differences in soil and vegetation during the successional recovery of abandoned lands at the local and landscape scales.

Perspective on the control of invasive mesquite trees and possible alternative uses

Abstract: Mesquite trees continue to invade forests and range lands in many countries across the world. The cost to remove these trees is staggering. In Texas, landowners spent $25 million over a 10-year period to clear 300.000 ha of mesquite trees, a fraction of the 22 million ha of Texas land affected by this invasion. Estimates are that the mesquite continues to negatively impact one to two percent of additional land in selected counties each year in Texas. However, the problem is not unique to Texas, but rather to the 44 species of mesquite trees, belonging to the genus Prosopis found in the pea family (Fabaceae), introduced across the southern United States, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean. In response, researchers are searching for economically viable uses for harvested trees and seeds to provide an alternative to the high cost of removal. If viable uses for harvested mesquite trees and seeds are found, then sustained pressure will limit and ultimately reduce the negative impact from these invasive trees. One key factor to controlling this invasive species is to find economically and environmentally sustainable uses to help pay the costs of removal or perhaps make removal less necessary. Traditional uses of mesquite are as a building material, as a source of food for both animals and humans and as wood for charcoal. Emerging uses of mesquite are new applications as a biofuel and as a bio-filter medium for water. Moreover, forestry land management of mesquite has adapted to include the tree as a component of hunting lands. New control methodologies and technologies are based on an increased understanding of mesquite growth patterns, using recommended practices that reduce control and eradication costs while improving the efficiency of land management. Previous land management practices have proven that excessive application of herbicides, physical removal of mesquite trees, or human-induced brush fires, if not carefully planned, only worsen mesquite infestations. The growing problem of mesquite land management provides an opportunity for continued research into novel ways to utilize mesquite biomass, of both wood and seed pods.

Estimation of black carbon emissions from Siberian fires using satellite observations of absorption and extinction optical depths

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) emissions from open biomass burning (BB) are known to have a considerable impact on the radiative budget of the atmosphere at both global and regional scales; however, these emissions are poorly constrained in models by atmospheric observations, especially in remote regions. Here, we investigate the feasibility of constraining BC emissions from BB using satellite observations of the aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) and the aerosol extinction optical depth (AOD) retrieved from OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) measurements, respectively. We consider the case of Siberian BB BC emissions, which have the strong potential to impact the Arctic climate system. Using aerosol remote sensing data collected at Siberian sites of the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) along with the results of the fourth Fire Lab at Missoula Experiment (FLAME-4), we establish an empirical parameterization relating the ratio of the elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) contents in BB aerosol to the ratio of AAOD and AOD at the wavelengths of the satellite observations. Applying this parameterization to the BC and OC column amounts simulated using the CHIMERE chemistry transport model, we optimize the parameters of the BB emission model based on MODIS measurements of the fire radiative power (FRP); we then obtain top-down optimized estimates of the total monthly BB BC amounts emitted from intense Siberian fires that occurred from May to September 2012. The top-down estimates are compared to the corresponding values obtained using the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED4) and the Fire Emission Inventory–northern Eurasia (FEI-NE). Our simulations using the optimized BB aerosol emissions are verified against AAOD and AOD data that were withheld from the estimation procedure. The simulations are further evaluated against in situ EC and OC measurements at the Zotino Tall Tower Observatory (ZOTTO) and also against aircraft aerosol measurement data collected in the framework of the Airborne Extensive Regional Observations in SIBeria (YAK-AEROSIB) experiments. We conclude that our BC and OC emission estimates, considered with their confidence intervals, are consistent with the ensemble of the measurement data analyzed in this study. Siberian fires are found to emit 0.41±0.14 Tg of BC over the whole 5-month period considered; this estimate is a factor of 2 larger and a factor of 1.5 smaller than the corresponding estimates based on the GFED4 (0.20 Tg) and FEI-NE (0.61 Tg) data, respectively. Our estimates of monthly BC emissions are also found to be larger than the BC amounts calculated using the GFED4 data and smaller than those calculated using the FEI-NE data for any of the 5 months. Particularly large positive differences of our monthly BC emission estimates with respect to the GFED4 data are found in May and September. This finding indicates that the GFED4 database is likely to strongly underestimate BC emissions from agricultural burns and grass fires in Siberia. All of these differences have important implications for climate change in the Arctic, as it is found that about a quarter of the huge BB BC mass emitted in Siberia during the fire season of 2012 was transported across the polar circle into the Arctic. Overall, the results of our analysis indicate that a combination of the available satellite observations of AAOD and AOD can provide the necessary constraints on BB BC emissions.

Suppression resource decisions are the dominant influence on containment of Australian forest and grass fires

Fire agencies aim to contain wildfires before they impact on life, property and infrastructure and to reduce the risk of damage to the environment. Despite the large cost of suppression, there are few data on the success of suppression efforts under varying weather, fuel and resource scenarios. We examined over 2200 forest and 4600 grass fires in New South Wales, Australia to determine the dominant influences on the containment of wildfires. A random forest modelling approach was used to analyse the effect of a range of human and environmental factors. The number of suppression resources per area of fire were the dominant influence on the containment of both forest and grass fires. As fire weather conditions worsened the probability of containment decreased across all fires and as fuel loads and slope increased the probability of containment decreased for forest fires. Environmental controls limit the effectiveness of wildfire management. However, results suggest investment in suppression resources and strategic fuel management will increase the probability of containment.

Rooting and survival of Lobostemon fruticosus (L) H. Buek stem cuttings as affected by season, media and cutting position

The eight-day healing bush (Lobostemon fruticosus) belongs to the Boraginaceae family and is one of the oldest medicinal plants used in the Cape by Khoisan and early settlers. The natural populations of L. fruticosus are being destroyed by veld fires and overharvesting, leading to a need for propagation of plant material especially for commercial use. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of season, plant growth regulator, growth media and cutting position on survival and rooting of L. fruticosus. A randomised complete block design was used with 2 block replications per season and 10 cuttings as an experimental unit. Treatments included four media, three plant growth regulator treatments and two cutting positions. Improved survival and better root quality was observed in cuttings planted in autumn (survival percentage 85.6% and root score 4.3) compared to spring (survival percentage 50.1% and root score 2.3). In autumn, cuttings planted in peat (91.25%) had the best survival percentage, however, only differed significantly from those planted in bark (77.5%), while in spring, cuttings planted in bark (68.33%) had significantly higher survival percentage compared to all other media {peat (52.92%); peatpol (51.67%) and sandpol (27.5%). Survival percentage was significantly higher in heel cutting planted in both bark (85.83%) and peat (78.33%) as compared to apical cuttings planted in the same growth media (bark 60% and peat 65.83%). While cuttings planted in peat consistently outperformed most other season-media treatment combinations in autumn an increase in rooting percentage, root length and root quality score was recorded in cuttings planted in bark during spring. Increased budding was recorded in cuttings planted in spring, except for cuttings planted in the sandpol media. Survival percentage, rooting percentage, root quality and budding leaves significantly increased in heel cuttings {survival percentage (61.46%); rooting percentage (41.88%); root score (3.25) and budding leaves (58.96%)} planted in spring as compared to apical cuttings {survival percentage (38.75%); rooting percentage (17.08%); root score (1.34) and budding leaves (38.54%)} of the same season. Rooting percentage (66.25%), root length (57.76 mm), root score (4.99) and budding leaf percentage were significantly higher in heel cuttings planted in bark as compared to apical cuttings. Application of PGR's produced a significantly better rooting percentage {Dip 'N Grow® (52.66%) and Seradix B® No. 2 (47.81%), significantly longer roots {Seradix B® No. 2 (36.23 mm) and Dip 'N Grow® (35.34 mm)} and a significantly better root quality score {Seradix B® No. 2 (3.64); Dip 'N Grow® (3.62)} compared to the control. Based on the current findings it is therefore recommended that, L. fruticosus stem cuttings can be propagated successfully using heel cutting type, Seradix B® No. 2 or Dip ‘N Grow® as growth regulator application and, coco-peat as growth media if propagating during autumn or bark if propagating during spring.

POSTFIRE CONDITION AND RENEWAL OF FOREST PHYTOCENOSES ON THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Results of long-term stationary research on influence of the pyrogenic factor on the efficiency and the postfire condition of forest phytocenoses of Belarus are presented. It has been found out that the size of the postfire falling off of trees and their radial gain in plantations of the main forest forming breeds are determined by the type and intensity of a fire, the forest and taxation characteristics of forest stands as well as biological features of tree species. Dependence of the size of the postfire falling off by the quantity of trees and a stock in pine, spruce, birch and black alder plantations on their average diameter and average height of deposit on trunks are revealed at the ground fires, depths of burn-out of organic horizons of the soil and damage rate of root systems of trees – at the soil fires. The description of scales for identification of damage rate in plantations of the main forest forming breeds from fires and their fire resistance is given. The reforestation methods in the burnt-out places in various forest vegetation conditions which provide formation of biologically steady and highly productive plantations of economic valuable tree species are presented. There is a card of forest fire division into districts of the territory of Belarus on the basis of which types and volumes of actions for fire-prevention arrangement of the forest fund of the legal entities which conduct forestry for the purpose of minimization of the area of wildfires and their consequences are differentiated.

EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF FOOD SECURITY STATUS OF AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE PLATINUM PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

This paper gives a succinct report on an investigationinto the food security constraints of rural farminghouseholds in the North West Province of South Africa. Datapresented was gathered across the four districts, and was analyzedusing descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Thedescriptive results showed that the mean age of rural farmerswas 55 years and the average household size was 7 members.Logistic regression results on factors influencing foodsecurity in the study showed that variables such as age of thehousehold’s head, household feeding rate, the total cost ofproduction, farm income and health expenditure had significantimpact on the respondents’ food security (at p < 0.05).As shown by Probit regression results, constraints such as theage of household head, food availability, veld fires, marketavailability, predator invasion, health expenditure and veterinarypractices significantly influenced the achievement offood security in the study area. This study concluded that ruralfarming households were witnessing different dimensions offood insecurity which affected different aspects of their socialand economic activities. It is therefore the responsibility of thegovernment to come up with a holistic approach to addressthe present discrepancy in the national and grass-roots foodsecurity status.

A study of the roles, opportunities and challenges of environmental sub-committees (ESCs): A case of Masvingo district, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is committed to the implementation of environmental management strategies that promote the conservation of biological diversity while supporting sustainable utilisation of natural resources. As part of this strategy, Environmental Sub-Committees have been established throughout the country in order to support the work of Environmental Committees. This study was conducted in Masvingo District to determine the role of Environmental Sub-Committees in Natural Resources Management and the challenges they face. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents in the Wards which had functional committees. Questionnaires were used in interviews with 38 Environmental Sub-Committee members from 12 wards as well as representatives from 8 organisations that interface with Environmental Sub-Committees. The results showed that the major roles of Environmental Sub-Committees were related to promoting environmental awareness and in the enforcement of environmental laws. Major challenges faced by Environmental Sub-Committees were resistance from the communities, absence of an Environmental sub-Committee identification system and inadequate transport. The majority of the respondents highlighted that there was a need to amend several by-laws in order to enhance environmental protection within the District. The most common offences are related to deforestation (41%), veld fires (27%) and gold panning (12%). There was a high incidence of repeat offenders and this was attributed to the non-deterrent fines currently in place. It was therefore recommended that Environmental Sub-Committees should strengthen efforts to create awareness of their activities among those stakeholders who are also involved in natural resources management. Environmental Sub-Committees can play a pivotal role in Natural Resources Management if the challenges that they face are fully addressed.

Pillar of Fire Theories

ABSTRACTThe pillar of fire was a unique phenomenon that led the Israelites at night through the wilderness for forty years. Many theories have been offered to explain this phenomenon such as it was mythical or metaphorical and never occurred. Other explanations include burning jets of natural gas, a brazier elevated on a pole, volcanic activity, brush fires, lightning, and a comet. The large and controlled shape of the pillar of fire, its appearance only at night for forty years, and its carefully directed path have been explained as miraculous. This article includes a scientific discussion of how the pillar might have been produced, reviews the many theories offered to explain the pillar of fire, and offers several new theories.

Responses to Climate Variability in Urban Poor Communities in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

South Africa’s rising urbanization has exacerbated the levels of urban poverty and inequality. The urban poor are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and have weak household risk response capacities. The study, through the use of a questionnaire survey, investigated how climate stressors such as the change of seasons, drought, heat waves, cold spells, hailstorms, floods, disease outbreaks, and veld fires are affecting four socioeconomically marginalized urban communities in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. The respondents identified eight stressors that affect lifestyles and livelihoods; however, the majority do not have the means to cope adequately. Moreover, the coping strategies that were adopted were stop-gap reactive-type measures and provide limited capacity to build resilience and response capacity. With the projections that climate stressors will increase in frequency and duration in the region, the local government must increase investment in urban pro-poor climate change projects, which have been successful in some rural and urban areas, and educate the communities on climate-related risks so as to increase their knowledge and response capacities.

Steppe Fires in Conditions the Regime of Reserve and Under Changing Anthropogenic Impacts

An analysis of geoinformation data on the spread of steppe fires is proposed, the areas of which are identified on the basis of a series of Landsat satellite images for 1984–2015. We selected five key sites located in different geographic areas of the Transvolga region and South Ural, covering clusters of the Orenburgskii state nature as well as adjacent agricultural areas. By analyzing the long-term dynamics, we determined a widespread trend of an intensification of steppe fires. Since the mid-1990s till the present, it has manifested itself in a significant increase in the area of occurrence and in recurrence frequency. It has been established that the cause for an intensification of fires in the steppe regions is a significant reduction in agricultural production, accompanied by restoration of vegetation cover on unused lands and accumulation of dry phytomass. It was determined that, given the favorable conditions for the occurrence of fires, the weather and climate factors increased in importance, implying a higher amplitude of fluctuations in the areas of the burnt-over areas, especially in abnormal years. Data on the current frequency of grass fires (both in protected areas and in a large part of agricultural lands) indicate that the vegetation cover and other components of steppe ecosystems are constantly in a state of post-pyrogenic succession. Using an example of one of the sites (the Burtinskaya steppe), a high restorative capacity of tree-shrub areas within the boundaries of the ecotopes occupied by them was revealed. It was noted that the absolute regime of reserve that excludes any economic activities, combined with an intensification of fire phenomena in the adjacent territories, gives rise to an acute fire-hazardous situation. It is pointed out that there is a need to establish a unified system for ecological monitoring of fires.

Regional disaster risk management strategies for food security: Probing Southern African Development Community channels for influencing national policy.

Natural disasters and food insecurity are directly interconnected. Climate change related hazards such as floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, droughts and other risks can weaken food security and severely impact agricultural activities. Consequently, this has an impact on market access, trade, food supply, reduced income, increased food prices, decreased farm income and employment. Natural disasters create poverty, which in turn increases the prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition. It is clear that disasters put food security at risk. The poorest people in the community are affected by food insecurity and disasters; hence, there is a need to be prepared as well as be in a position to manage disasters. Without serious efforts to address them, the risks of disasters will become an increasingly serious obstacle to sustainable development and the achievement of sustainable development goals, particularly goal number 2 ‘end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture’. In recent years, countries in southern Africa have experienced an increase in the frequency, magnitude and impact of climate change–related hazards such as droughts, veld fire, depleting water resources and flood events. This research aims to reveal Southern African Development Community disaster risk management strategies for food security to see how they an influence and shape policy at the national level in southern Africa. Sustainable Livelihood approach was adopted as the main theoretical framework for the study. The qualitative Analysis is based largely on data from databases such as national reports, regional reports and empirical findings on the disaster management–sustainable development nexus.

Managing wetlands for disaster risk reduction: A case study of the eastern Free State, South Africa.

This article investigated the knowledge and practice of a nature-based solution to reduce disaster risks of drought, veld fires and floods using wetlands in the eastern Free State, South Africa. A mixed research method approach was used to collect primary data using three data collection tools, namely questionnaires, interviews and field observations. Ninety-five wetlands under communal and private ownership as well as a few in protected areas were sampled, with their users completing questionnaires. The study showed that communal wetlands were more degraded, while wetlands in protected areas and in private commercial farms were in a good ecological state. An extensive literature review reveals that healthy wetlands are effective buffers in reducing disaster risks such as drought, veld fires and floods which are recurrent in the study area. Therefore, through better land-use and management practices, backed by education and awareness, wetlands could be good instruments to mitigate recurrent natural hazards in the agriculturally dominated eastern Free State in South Africa.

USING MODELS TO DEAL WITH HAZARDS AND DISASTERS: A TRAJECTORY TOWARDS EFFECTIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN ZIMBABWE

The contribution of models in the management of disasters has been less understood by some practitioners. As such, the use of models seems to have been ignored by policy-makers and practitioners when dealing with all forms of disasters in Zimbabwe. Various kinds of hazards and disasters in Zimbabwe, that include droughts, floods, cholera epidemics and veld fires have heavily impacted communities, resulting in the complexity of disaster management that calls for the use of models. This desktop study sought to analyze the contribution of models in managing hazards and disasters in Zimbabwe. The study was based on a qualitative literature survey and document analysis. Through literature and document analysis, the study found that models are crucial in disaster management as they can simplify practitioners’ understanding of hazards and disasters. Models are also a useful and indispensable decision-making support tool as they can assist the practitioners to make appropriate decisions. The study further found that models that are common to the practitioners included the traditional model, expand-contract model, and the disaster crunch model. Furthermore, a close relationship exists between the disaster management models. Most of the models are based on the disaster management phases of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Since the models play a significant role in the management of hazards and disasters, the study concluded that they are an indispensable tool and a proper trajectory towards managing disaster events in Zimbabwe. Therefore, the study recommends the adoption of the models in the management of all forms of disasters. The significance of this study is in its potential to inform policy and practice. The future scope should focus on the nature of models applicable to selected disaster situations in Zimbabwe.

Direct and component-wise bias correction of multi-variate climate indices: the percentile adjustment function diagnostic tool

The use and development of bias correction (BC) methods has grown fast in recent years, due to the increased demand of unbiased projections by many sectoral climate change impact applications. Case studies are frequently based on multi-variate climate indices (CIs) combining two or more essential climate variables that are frequently individually corrected prior to CI calculation. This poses the question of whether the BC method modifies the inter-variable dependencies and eventually the climate change signal. The direct bias correction of the multi-variate CI stands as a usual alternative, since it preserves the physical and temporal coherence among the primary variables as represented in the dynamical model output, at the expense of incorporating the individual biases on the CI with an effect difficult to foresee, particularly in the case of complex CIs bearing in their formulation non-linear relationships between components. Such is the case of the Fire Weather Index (FWI), a meteorological fire danger indicator frequently used in forest fire prevention and research. In the present work, we test the suitability of the direct BC approach on FWI as a representative multi-variate CI, assessing its performance in present climate conditions and its effect on the climate change signal when applied to future projections. Moreover, the results are compared with the common approach of correcting the input variables separately. To this aim, we apply the widely used empirical quantile mapping method (QM), adjusting the 99 empirical percentiles. The analysis of the percentile adjustment function (PAF) provides insight into the effect of the QM on the climate change signal. Although both approaches present similar results in the present climate, the direct correction introduces a greater modification of the original change signal. These results warn against the blind use of QM, even in the case of essential climate variables or uni-variate CIs.

Anthropogenic Drying of Lakes in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions

Soils and forests are deteriorating; grazing lands are degraded; water points, sources, and lakes are drying, and underground water levels diminished. This could largely be attributed to traditional inappropriate resource management methods; severe soil erosion and degradations reducing infiltration and resulting in sedimentation of water sources and lake basins. Bad cultivation practices, burning and cutting of perennial vegetation, overgrazing and grass fires increase runoff. This causes soil erosion and consequently sediment transport to the lake, which results in the decrease of its storage capacity and quality of stored water. Shallow and groundwater dependent Lakes has experiencing shrinkage and some of them are vanished due to different reasons, such as human activities, climate change and related which can contribute to the declining of Lake Ecosystem.

Spreading like wildfire

Spreading like wildfire

Determination of Veld Fire Hazard Zones in Multiple Tenure Systems in Zimbabwe: Implications for Intervention

The study determined fire hazard zones in multiple tenure systems from 2001 to 2013 in Mazowe district, Zimbabwe, using Landsat 7 and 8 30m resolution images, a fire hazard model and weighted sum of burnt area. The model divided the district into high, moderate and low fire hazard zones across five tenure systems that obtain. Most of the district (50%) was in the high hazard zone. Fire events superimposed onto the zones confirmed that most of the fire events (60%) occurred in the high hazard zone. The weighted sum of burnt area revealed that 47% of the study area was not burnt. The level of fire risk in terms of pasture per livestock unit was substantially high. At 1% of land burnt four times in A2 and Communal systems involved losses of 2784 and 1682 livestock units' worth of pasture respectively. The hazard zones show hotspots needing monitoring, fire problem occurring irrespective of tenure and that the problem could be addressed. The study recommends setting up a fire command centre, involving all parties, urgent attention to the fire problem across tenure and adoption practices such as law enforcement, hierarchical structures and participation of grassroots communities in addressing the fire problem.

Taming reverberation in an outdoor amphitheatre—The Ford

The historic Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, CA, recently completed an overall renovation and expansion. The centerpiece is the 1,200-seat outdoor amphitheater, which features a dramatic arroyo backdrop. The side walls, rear wall, towers, and house flooring were built of concrete in 1931 after a brush fire destroyed the original 1920 wood structure. Several sound-absorptive treatments had been applied to the walls over the years previous to our involvement, but excessive reverberation and some anomalous reflections remained. The new design features an expanded “sound wall” that helps to mitigate highway noise while providing optimal lighting and control positions, and offering an opportunity to improve the acoustical treatment scheme. The result is a unique installation of decorative perforated-metal panels that tame the reverberation, especially in the low frequencies. Assorted design challenges, apparent arroyo hillside contributions, and the resultant reverberation will be discussed.

Evidence of Burning from Bushfires in Southern and East Africa and Its Relevance to Hominin Evolution

Early human fire use is of great scientific interest, but little comparative work has been undertaken across the ecological settings in which natural fire occurs or on the taphonomy of fire and circumstances in which natural and human-controlled fire could be confused. We present here results of experiments carried out with fire fronts from grass- and bushland in South and East Africa. Our work illustrates that in these circumstances hominins would have been able to walk with and exploit fires, and we emphasize that there can be different levels of fire use. The results also indicate that traditional assumptions about the discrimination of these are not reliable. Grass fires pass through the landscape rapidly in burns of less than 5 minutes duration, but areas of denser vegetation burn to much higher temperatures and for much longer. Trees are also caught in fires and may burn back into their roots, baking sediments. Animal bones on the surface can also become burned, so that presence of burned bone has t...