Artemisia tridentata ssp. Artemisia tridentata ssp. The area is also managed for sage grouse. Topography is undulating with rocky outcrops.
Soils are fine clays and clayey loams of basaltic or rhyolitic parent material.
Soil permeability is low. Frost-free period is about 3 months. Prevailing winds are from the west. The 2 months prior to the late September burning had abnormally high precipitation. In postfire year 2, precipitation was well above normal.