Fire is a necessary part of maintaining the ecological health of a prairie. The N.C. Forest Service conducted the controlled burn of the Piedmont Prairie at Duke Gardens in 2018 and again in 2024.
Piedmont prairie grasslands, as with the northern prairies, were formed not only through grazing but also with fire. Initially wildfires would take place during thunderstorms, from lightning strikes. The fires could burn extensively, clearing vegetation from large tracts of ground. Palatable grasses and wild flowers would regrow, attracting the bison. Over hundreds if not thousands of years, the grassland ecosystem evolved.
A significant proportion of fires were started and controlled by the Indigenous population. Fire has been used as an agricultural management tool worldwide, to clear tracks, flush out game, control insect pests and restrict the regrowth of forests.
Below is a video about fire’s critical role in prairie management with former Blomquist curator Stefan Bloodworth.
Questions about the Piedmont Prairie?
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