Yes they were serious, people with large gardens do this ...though you
need to be ready with a bucket of water!!!!
They do actually burn in the wild.
I just use a strimmer on mine..but do not damage the crown.



We used to have one and just pruned off ragged leaves - avoiding the
temptation to pull dead/dying leaves out with bare hands - they rip skin
like razor blades! Someone once said that you can set fire to them and let
all the old leaves burn - this is what supposedly happens to them out on the
plains. I don't know if they were serious or not.