Fires create disturbances that can directly favor the colonization of noxious weeds.
Depending on certain conditions, some to many desired plants will survive and reinitiate growth soon after a fire. However, the ability of survived plants to reestablish, thrive, and reseed in subsequent years will be greatly affected by the presence of noxious weeds. If allowed to establish or reestablish in burned areas, noxious weeds can easily prevent the reestablishment of desired vegetation and can quickly displace established native plants. As a result, future values such as wildlife habitat, livestock grazing, watershed stability, and water quality may become significantly compromised. If permitted to reach large infestation levels, the resulting population will persist and be very difficult and expensive to manage.