We are so grateful to showcase the amazing work of our department’s graduate students in RWFM 621! We worked with a devoted team of M.Sc. and Ph.D. students on developing a Communications Strategies and Extension Publication final project. This team took on an exciting task of making new science readily available to ranchers, landowners, and prescribed fire practitioners. Well done ya’ll and THANK YOU!!
For thousands of years, fire has played a vital role in shaping healthy grasslands across the Great Plains. From Indigenous communities using fire to manage hunting grounds to today’s producer striving for resiliency in rangeland pastures, prescribed fire continues to be a powerful process for rangeland stewardship. But as NEW research shows, it’s not just about the initial fire—it’s about timing, consistency, and PROCESS.
What We’re Learning from Long-Term Fire Research
A 15-year study in Montana northern mixed-grass prairie by Dr. Lance Vermeire and others (2024) has set a new bar for understanding how native grasses respond to fire. The research focused on needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa comata), a dominant native bunchgrass, and how varying fire frequencies and seasons affected growth. The biggest takeaway? Burning every three years in the fall produced the strongest regrowth—but the benefits didn’t show up overnight. It took five years for regular patterns to emerge and five fires, reinforcing the importance of long-term commitment devoted to fire as a process and not a tool.
Why This Matters for Landowners
While this study took place in Eastern Montana, its lessons apply across the Great Plains and into Texas. Many of our native grasses—including blue grama, buffalograss, and little bluestem—respond positively to frequent fire cycles. This is particularly emphasized in Texas, where landowners also face additional challenges of resprouting species like mesquite and juniper encroachment. Prescribed fire helps suppress these woody invaders, keeping rangeland from turning into forests, returning nutrients to the soil, and improves overall quality and quantity of forage for livestock and wildlife.
When prescribed fire is implemented as a recurring process, it can:
- Boost native perennial grass growth
- Improve forage for cattle and wildlife
- Maintain open rangeland with minimal tree canopies
- Reduce the risk and severity of wildfires
Timing Is Everything—But Flexibility Is Key
The science is clear: a three-year fire cycle in the fall can align with native perennial grass growth patterns. However, environmental conditions—especially rainfall—still play a major role. Rangeland managers must stay adaptable, continuously reading the landscape and looking for opportunities to implement fundamental processes that shift competitive advantages to native, perennial grasses.
Fire Isn’t Just Ecological—It’s Economical
Prescribed burning isn’t just good for rangeland—it’s good for the bottom line. Improved forage supports healthier herds and higher stocking rates. Reduced brush means less equipment needed to clear pastures and more grazable acres to work with. And most importantly, proactive burning lowers the risk of wildfires.
You’re Not Alone: Support and Resources Are Available
Prescribed fire doesn’t have to be a solo effort. With the help of AgriLife Extension, Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs), and resources like the Great Plains Fire Science Exchange, landowners can access the training and support needed to plan safe, effective burns.
Whether you’re looking to boost forage, restore grasslands, or ensure your ranching legacy, prescribed fire—done right and done regularly—can help you get there.
To read the full peer-reviewed journal article from Dr. Vermeire et al., be sure to click – Here!
For the Extension Publication, be sure to click here!
We would like to Hailey Schmidt, Luz Vigabriel, Colton Matthews, MK Futrell, and Adam Hernandez for their exceptional work and devotion to telling the story behind the science!