Fire plays a pivotal role in driving ecological shifts between Mediterranean-type vegetation and subtropical ecosystems in South Africa. This study investigates long-term environmental dynamics and ecological regime changes at the Mediterranean-type vegetation /subtropical boundary using a 6000-year palaeoecological sequence from the Baviaanskloof – a region of South Africa characterized by high levels of biodiversity and climate dynamism. Combining fossil pollen and microcharcoal data from a rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) midden, we analyse vegetation responses to environmental changes. Our findings reveal that Mediterranean-type vegetation resilience prevailed until ca. 2800 cal yr BP when a major fire event triggered a transition to a subtropical thicket-dominated environment. This abrupt ecological turnover underscores the significance of fire as a major driver of vegetation change at the Mediterranean-type vegetation /subtropical boundary. Our study emphasizes the vulnerability of Mediterranean-type vegetation ecosystems to global environmental change, suggesting potential implications for similar biome boundaries worldwide. By integrating multi-proxy palaeoecological evidence, we gain insights into the resilience and vulnerability of these ecosystems, aiding in understanding future responses to climate change scenarios.