Without action, fire-ravaged land could see three to four times more weeds next year than it had before the fires, says a Montana State University rangeland weeds expert.
Fires make more nutrients available.
We have little research on what happens after that, but those bigger weeds could release up to 10-times the number of seeds they do in a usual year. It's important for us to understand that weed management needs to be a part of the emergency response to the fires. After that, the weeds will be flourishing if we haven't done something to prevent it. In the fire-scarred Bitterroot Forest, the biggest problem is spotted knapweed. Already this weed has taken over millions of acres, diminishing native species and wildlife and livestock forage.