I concur with the idea "; it might reflect something local, such as patterns of burning linked to grazing and land management." My own experience of controlled Fynbos veld burning by farmers in the Western Cape was that it was practiced in later-winter/spring to 1) dampen/prevent runaway fires, and 2) allow last seasonal rains over the burnt veld to foster new growth. This may have differed from the indigenous way and hence reflect dominance of settled pioneers in the burning regime.
Have you noted the insightful decisive 'dip' (generally cooler) in the trend during the middle 1700's - inferred by the longer term climatic trend of "the Little Ice Age"?
I concur with the idea "; it might reflect something local, such as patterns of burning linked to grazing and land management." My own experience of controlled Fynbos veld burning by farmers in the Western Cape was that it was practiced in later-winter/spring to 1) dampen/prevent runaway fires, and 2) allow last seasonal rains over the burnt veld to foster new growth. This may have differed from the indigenous way and hence reflect dominance of settled pioneers in the burning regime.
Have you noted the insightful decisive 'dip' (generally cooler) in the trend during the middle 1700's - inferred by the longer term climatic trend of "the Little Ice Age"?
Interesting! Is it a requirement for governors to record fires? It looks like in some years, fire records are systematically lower.