Africa is known as the "Fire Continent" (Komarek 1965) and prescribed burning is a widely recognized and essential ecological factor in for managing its grassland and savanna ecosystems. Research investigating fire regime effects on the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem has been conducted in these regions since the early twentieth century. This has led to a general understanding of the effects of type and intensity of fire and season and frequency of burning on the grass and tree components of the vegetation.