Healing of forests and rangelands actually begins before most of the major fires are controlled. Teams of specialists often are on site to assess the damage done by the fire and what can be done to prevent one natural disaster being followed by another. Teams may include specialists in hydrology, geologist, soils, range management, botanists, engineers, archaeologists and foresters.
Water erosion is the main culprit.
A burned mountainside almost void of vegetation cannot hold back or absorb water. Torched hillsides can turn hydrophobic, or water repellant. On public rangelands, especially those in the Great Basin, another enemy lurks. Cheatgrass, an annual weed native to Eurasia, already has taken over more than 25 million acres. Cheatgrass, as well as other annual weeds, have little value as forage for wildlife or livestock.