Prescribed fire has been used at Devils Tower to reduce dead and down fuel loading, decrease non-native grass cover, and increase native grass and forb cover. There are 7 plots in the ponderosa pine monitoring type at Devils Tower. These plots were burned once as part of four different burn units over a 4 year period.

The figure below displays ponderosa pine (PIPO), rocky mountain juniper (JUSC), and bur oak (QUMA) pole and overstory tree densities following one prescribed burn. Pre-burn sampling occurred 1 to 2 growing seasons before the prescribed fires, with year depicting the number of growing seasons following the burn. Five growing seasons following the prescribed burn, ponderosa pine pole and overstory density decreased 59% and 13% respectively. Rocky mountain juniper and bur oak pole and overstory density decreased by 62% and 75%.

Below are mean cover measurements for grass, sedge, and forb lifeforms following one burn treatment. Five seasons following the burn there are increasing trends in cover for native grasses and non-native grasses but the changes aren't significant. Native sedges did significantly increase an average 86% from pre-burn conditions.

 

The figure below shows change in down and dead fuel loading immediately after one prescribed burn. Total fuel loading decreased 52%, while litter and duff decreased 40% and 64% respectively.