Image related to website content

Fire Needs Three Things to Survive - Heat, Fuel, and Air

26 Oct 2023

Firstly, fire needs a heat source because oxygen is needed to keep something burning. Air is made up of 21% oxygen and if it drops to 15%, people or a fire will not survive. We can stop a fire by smothering or covering it with sand, foam, water, a blanket or fire extinguishers.

Secondly, fire needs a heat source; a spark or flame to get it started, it also needs a fuel source. If the fuel drops below the temperature of ignition, the fire will be extinguished. In such cases, we can put out a fire by cooling it with water.

Lastly, to sustain a fire, you require a fuel source such as dry wood, paper, dry plants, or flammable rubbish. By eliminating or reducing the availability of a fuel source, we can prevent fires. Preventive measures include establishing firebreaks, which are safe areas with minimal fuel that can halt the spread of fire, and clearing invasive alien vegetation, a significant source of fuel for fires.

Image related to website content

Fire and Fynbos

Natural fires are good for fynbos when the veld burns at the right time of the year, with the right amount of time in-between fire. Fire helps fynbos plants reproduce and ensures their long-term survival. However, if a fire occurs at the wrong time of the year, it has a negative effect. Certain plants do not get enough time between fires to store enough seeds.

Over the past 20 years, we have had an increase in the number of fires caused by people, as well as more high fire danger days due to climate change. This unfortunately leads to many fires and areas burnt.

You Can Be the Hero

There are many ways we can help stop fires. Even something easy like following the rules for making a fire in nature can help a lot. If you see smoke or fire, it's super important to tell someone. When you do, firefighters can come quickly to save plants, animals, houses, and people. Just dial 112 from your cellphone or 10177 from a regular phone to report smoke or fire. It's like calling for help!

Acknowledgement: partially reworded from Fire Awareness Flipchart

Share:

Related News

Pizza 5179939 1280
30 Apr 2025
Win a Pizza Party with Kai the Leopard Cub!

Hey kids, want to have an amazing pizza party at your school or with a group of friends? Here’s your chance! CapeNature is hosting an exciting competition where you and your friends could win a fun pizza party with Kai, the awesome leopard mascot! That’s right—Kai will join your group for a super fun time, and you’ll get to enjoy delicious pizza together!

Pexels pixabay 68767
30 Apr 2025
World Oceans Day!

June 8 is World Oceans Day, a day set aside to celebrate our amazing oceans.

And guess what? Even oceans have insects! While most bugs prefer dry land, some super swimmers live near the sea.

IDB 2025 logo RGB EN2
30 Apr 2025
Celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity!

May 22 is the International Day of Biodiversity, and this year we’re giving a big buggy cheer for insect diversity! The theme for 2025 is Harmony with nature and sustainable development. This simply means that we need to live in a way that does not harm nature.

Carmen tehillah
30 Apr 2025
Individual action projects

Here are some wonderful ways you can make a difference and help protect and encourage more bugs into your garden! Simply send us a picture of your action and we will assign your points to you!

Yuriy vertikov M Vq0 Wiu S5 Tg unsplash
30 Apr 2025
GROUP ACTION PROJECTS!

If you form part of a Cubs Club group, try out one or more of these actions that will help protect our insects!

Bee 7478585 1280
30 Apr 2025
Beneficial bugs

Think all bugs are just creepy? Think again! The Western Cape is home to some of the coolest insects that help people and nature every day. From pollination to pest control, insects provide us with a ton of benefits – without them, there is so much that would go wrong. Let’s meet a few of our tiny local heroes!