Wildfires, Invasive Grass Threaten Future of Western Sagebrush (2)

A grand duel is taking place out West, but no cowboys are involved.

It’s between the native sagebrush, which has dominated the Western landscape for more 12,000 years, and a newer, highly invasive and flammable species called cheatgrass.

Saying the word “cheatgrass” alone evokes frustration among federal and state officials, who are doing their best with limited resources and tools that include herbicide use, targeted grazing, and reseeding, to fight for sagebrush’s existence. But it’s with limited success. The grass is highly flammable and with increasingly dry climates and wildfires, the grass is spreading faster than it can be stopped ...