Seasonal Variations in Fuel and Fuel Consumption by Fires in a Bluestem Prairie

Plots in an ungrazed, re—established grassland near Omaha, Nebraska, USA, dominated by little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), were burned at 3—wk intervals from March through November 1976. The amount of vegetative biomass consumed during burning, a measure of flammability, was high throughout the study period, varying from >99% in April to 84% in mid—June. Areas burned in March were able to carry a second fire in October of the same year. High flammability throughout the growing season, in conjunction with current fire and climatic records, suggests that widespread, late—summer fires were probably common in presettlement, ungrazed, bluestem prairies.