Dandelion generally establishes during the first or second postfire year.
Dandelion increased in frequency following a fire in 1974 in a Scotch pine forest in Scotland, but by postfire year 4, frequency started to decrease. Preburn and postburn community types, as named by the dominant species, were compared. Following the spring burn, bluegrass and dandelion were the dominant species during both postfire years 1 and 2. In the timbered breaks along the Missouri River in central Montana, dandelion was favored by big game animals every postfire year except year 28. At postfire year 17 dandelion was found at high frequencies.