cheatgrass
Rangeland fire fuel
Cheatgrass is an invasive grass native to Eurasia, now widespread across western North America.
It germinates early, depletes soil moisture, and dies off in summer, leaving dry fuel that promotes wildfires.
The name reflects how it "cheats" farmers—it looks like wheat in spring but provides no harvest.
Also called downy brome.
Energy source material
- flammableProne to ignition
- burnDamage by heat
- ignitionStarting combustion process
- combustionExothermic reaction with oxygen
ash · blaze · conflagration · dry · cured · fireline · suppression · firebreak
Not indigenous here
- spreadTo distribute widely
- colonizationForeign territorial takeover
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- proliferationRapid increase in quantity
infestation · encroachment · monoculture · competition · eradication · management · control · herbicide
Seek food actively
- cattleDomesticated bovines kept commercially
- livestockDomesticated farm animals
- sheepWoolly farm animal
- rangelandLand for grazing animals
pasture · browse · unpalatable · overgrazing · degradation · rancher · grazer · ruminant
Occurring every year
- seedheadMature flower bearing seeds
- awnBristle on grain
- inflorescencePlant's complete bloom arrangement
- germinationSeed's initial growth phase
drooping · herbaceous · root · tiller · spikelet · panicle · downy · brome
fuel
Energy source material
combustion · ash · blaze · conflagration · dry · cured · fireline · suppression · firebreak · regrowth
non-native
Not indigenous here
- spreadTo distribute widely
- colonizationForeign territorial takeover
- displacementRemoval from usual location
proliferation · infestation · encroachment · monoculture · competition · eradication · management · control · herbicide · restoration
forage
Seek food actively
- cattleDomesticated bovines kept commercially
- livestockDomesticated farm animals
- sheepWoolly farm animal
rangeland · pasture · browse · unpalatable · overgrazing · degradation · rancher · grazer · ruminant · grassland
annual
Occurring every year
- seedheadMature flower bearing seeds
- awnBristle on grain
- inflorescencePlant's complete bloom arrangement
germination · drooping · herbaceous · root · tiller · spikelet · panicle · downy · brome · ephemeral
cheatgrassnative vegetation
Plants indigenous to an area
blue grama · buffalo grass · switchgrass · needlegrass · endemic species