Spot on...so maybe Ivo slipped a little there with his human sins bit.  The biomass/fuel load management with regards to fire appears to have been poorly managed.  I wonder if the costs of alien plant control would have exceeded those of the fire?

As to climate variability, it is interesting to look at the work of Tyson and Preston-Whyte. Lots of more recent paleo-environmental research studies for his (Knysna) neck of the woods.  I still would not disregard anthropogenic induced climate chnage.