The Effects of Grass Fires

Density Control

• Grass fires are used to eliminate shrubs and brushes that have little feeding value for livestock that graze in specific areas. Controlled burns can cut back shrubs and brushes that may be overwhelming a certain area, and encourage new growth for animals to feed on. Certain plants, such as poison ivy, do not react well or may be unaffected by grass fires, and can release resins into the air that irritate human lungs.

Eliminate Non Native Plants

• Non native grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass can have a detrimental effect on the environment by displacing native species and reducing habitat and food sources for animals. Controlled grass fires are used to decrease the amount of existing Kentucky bluegrass and discourage rapid flowering and growth of the plant. The United States Geological Survey suggests that burning for several consecutive years would achieve the best results for eliminating non native plants and allow for growth of desired native plants.

Reduce Fire Hazard

• Certain species of grasses, such as cheat grass, are highly flammable. Using controlled burns to eliminate cheat grass might greatly reduce the risk of an out of control wildfire from this low-moisture plant. However, according to the United States Geological Survey there are studies suggesting that the effect of fires on cheat grass is to encourage more rapid growth of the plant, calling into question the effectiveness of controlled burns.

Erosion

• According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency a study conducted in the spring of 2000 suggests that grass fires have the potential to significantly increase land erosion. The removal of grasses and plants from an area creates land that has no anchor for the dust and dirt, which leads to erosion from weather sources such as wind and rain. The study performed indicated that erosion rates were higher after the grass fires compared to land that had no fire.