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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Burns, Oregon » Range and Meadow Forage Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #387461
Research Project: Restoration and Conservation of Great Basin Ecosystems

Location: Range and Meadow Forage Management Research

Title: Grazing management to reduce wildfire risk in invasive annual grass prone sagebrush communities

Author
item Davies, Kirk
item WOLLSTEIN, KATIE - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research
item DRAGT, BILL - Bureau Of Land Management
item O'CONNOR, CASEY - Bureau Of Land Management

Submitted to: Rangelands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2022
Publication Date: 3/8/2022
Citation: Davies, K.W., Wollstein, K., Dragt, B., O'Connor, C. 2022. Grazing management to reduce wildfire risk in invasive annual grass prone sagebrush communities. Rangelands. 44(3):194-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.02.001.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.02.001

Interpretive Summary: Wildfires and incidents of mega-fires have increased substantially in the past few decades in sagebrush communities at risk of annual grass invasion. Fuel management is clearly needed and grazing is likely the only tool that can be applied feasibly at the scale needed to have meaningful results. We synthesized the literature on the influence of grazing on fire risk and incorporated on-the-ground experience to highlight logistical, social, and administrative challenges to its use. This synthesis is of interest to fuel, fire, and land managers as well as scientists and the general public.

Technical Abstract: Wildfires and incidents of large fires have increased substantially in the past few decades, in part from increases in fine, dry fuels. Fine fuel management is needed, and grazing is likely the only tool applicable at the scale needed to have meaningful effects. Moderate grazing decreases wildfire probability by decreasing fuel amount, continuity, and height and increasing fuel moisture content. Grazing, through its modification of fuels, can improve fire suppression efforts by decreasing flame lengths, rate of fire spread, and fire severity. Logistical, social, and administrative challenges exist to using grazing to decrease fire probability. Some of these challenges can be overcome by using off-season (i.e., fall-winter) grazing, but other challenges will require persistent efforts as well as science to support management changes.