Our prairie is burned every few years which is an important part of the prairie system. Fire allows for the nutrients in the dead forbs and grasses to be returned to the soil & it helps to prevent certain other plants, trees & shrubs from encroaching. Burning depletes the soil of some of its nitrogen which the native plants don't rely on, but which the non-native plants thrive on. Many species of plants found on a prairie respond well after a fire, producing really good crops of viable seeds. This is a long video showing the preparation needed to have a safe burn which includes mowing along the edges, specialized equipment for working with fire, water, etc.
