Cleansing Fires that restore the tender grass of the Savannah
Fires in the Savannah restore the grasslands for the Wildlife
Drive across the savannah of Murchison Falls National Park or Queen Elizabeth Park and ahead of you is smoke and fire, you become greatly alarmed as you see the smoke rising, at times flames and resulting 
blackened earth. It does not happen often but it is nature’s way of cutting the lawn and in regards to visitors there is the benefit that one can see lions not in the tall savannah grass- once again you can see wildlife freely. Without periodic savannah fires you would see a lot less animals – they simply would be hidden from view.
I encountered such fires as I last visited Murchison Falls Park – Birds were having a field day swooping down and picking exposed snakes and carrying them away, there were no animals to be seen but I realized that Herbivores would soon return and munch on the new grass that would be growing – where either tough grass or tall grass was before.
Understandably we do not burn the grass on our lawns but we make efforts to control its growth – this is nature’s way – even as a child growing up in Germany- we had a large hobby apple orchard and every spring we would control burn the old grass so the new could spring forth – in the 21st century there are laws in Germany where you can no longer do that, but nature, lightning, is bigger than man made laws and the renewal of the savannah through fire is an ongoing process – normally the charred earth will only remain a few weeks before fresh grass sprouts once again and the savannah is renewed, wildlife returns and visitors to the savannah never realize what has taken place.
Not only is savannah grass burned, but those places where shrubs have taken root, where there are dead and dying plants, both will be eliminated by the fire, the fire will also destroy the tough grasses which many grazing animals avoid and bring in tender grass.
Fire like good seasoning should be used sparingly – if fires occur too often the savannah areas are overtaken by by tougher and more fire-resistant grasses that herbivore grazing animals do not like and would move on. The way nature corrects itself is most amazing – not all fires are negative – fire in the savannah means cleansing, renewal, better game viewing and the result is a healthy savannah….enjoy Uganda’s Savannahs…from Kampala…jon
“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.” John Hemingway – African Journeys
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