Observations of fire occurrences on high-elevation tepui summits quasi-isolated by cliffs

A team undertaking an expedition to the plateau of Mount Roraima (also known as Roraima-tepui) in Venezuela between April and May 2023 found and documented fresh traces of a fire in the central part of the summit of the mountain, which damaged a large portion of a montane Pantepui habitat with local endemic plant species. The observation has baffled scientists, park guards, and local community leaders, who have never seen a fire in this particular area and worry that the case might be an indicator of increasing threats the unique montane ecosystem could face in the near future. This article provides insight into this case, supplemented with historical records and a discussion of possible causes and consequences of uncontrolled fire occurrences in the high-tepui environment.