Most abundant on exposed, compact, mineral, dry, gravelly or sandy soils but tolerates a wide range of soil textures. A colonizer of disturbed sites and readily invades mineral soil by spores. Rapid colonization after disturbance can help prevent soil erosion. The abundance of fire moss after disturbance promotes a large accumulation of organic matter, which favors the development of invertebrate fauna. Often replaced by flowering plants in later stages of succession.
Sporophytes appear early in the spring, as soon as the snow melts.
In March, the setae reach their full height and begin to turn from green to red. Capsules mature by late spring. By midsummer the capsules often decay, and the setae break from the moss. High-severity fire, which exposes mineral soil, provides ideal conditions for the germination of spores. Often the dominant vegetation for several years following high-severity fire.