Page 32 - MWC 04-22-2021s

Wildfires Can Impact Grasslands

The Midwest Cattleman · April 22, 2021 · P32

By Ellen Crawford

The winter of 2020-2021
has been extremely dry,
warm and windy.
As of April 12, all of North
Dakota was in drought, with
approximately 70% of the
state in extreme drought
(D3 on a scale of D0 to D4).
This condition has created a
“perfect storm,” with large
amounts of dry vegetation,
low humidity, dry soils and
wind fueling a high-risk en-
vironment for wildfires.
So, what are the impacts
of fire on the plant commu-
nity and forage production,
soil erosion and animal
health?
“Let’s start with the
plant community,” says
Kevin Sedivec, North Da-
kota State University Ex-
tension rangeland manage-
ment specialist and director
of NDSU’s Central Grass-
lands Research Extension
Center. “Because the wild-
fires to date have been clas-
sified as dormant-season
fires (prior to the growing Research Station in Miles most of the standing litter, will be highly susceptible
season), there should be no City, Mont., assessed the or carryover dead plants, to erosion or sluffing of soil
impact on the plant com- impacts of the fire on forage leading to less overall downslope.
munity in terms of species production. The researchers standing forage,” Sedivec Managing Lands Impact-
change on rangelands, plant found the fire actually in- says. “However, much of ed by a Dormant-season
density on grass hay stands creased forage production this standing litter is low Fire
or forage production of new more than 50% during the in quality and palatability.” The most common ques-
growth.” year of the fire. They also The standing litter does tion will be: “When can I
NDSU researchers con- found grazing two months protect the soil by act- graze my pasture after the
ducted a two-year study on after the fire increased pro- ing like armor. Wildfires fire?”
a pasture fire near Lem- duction the highest the fol- will increase bare ground, “This is a tougher ques-
mon, S.D. This fire occurred lowing year. which can lead to a higher tion to answer because of
in early April 2013. The re- Research at the Central risk of erosion. Land with continued on page 38
searchers found no change Grasslands Research Ex- slopes or rough topography
in plant species composi- tension Center also has
tion, but they did see an in- shown that April fires have
crease in bare ground and no negative effect on forage
reduction in litter the year production, and grazing one
of the fire, but no differenc- to two months following the
es the following year. burn increased new growth
The U.S. Department of when rotationally grazed.
Agriculture’s Agricultural “Wildfires will remove

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