The flames reach 15 to 30 feet high, and the heat is intense. When the fire meets itself, it goes out instantly. Black ashes and a few wisps of smoke are all that remain of the prairie. It's over that fast. The fire moved so rapidly that it didn't have time to heat the soil, which actually feels cool to the touch within five seconds after a burn.
Cowhands are always glad when the chore of burning the prairie is over.
Even with careful planning, no one knows for sure that what is supposed to happen will happen. Each burn is different, depending on the wind's behavior, the amount of clutter on the surface, and the skill and judgment of the cowhands. But cowhands and ranchers of the tallgrass prairie know that burning will provide nutritious grasses for the cattle and bison. They also know that burning will preserve the ecosystems of the prairie. For them, fire is simply a part of life, as important as rain and sunshine in maintaining the life cycle of the tallgrass prairie.