ARS is conducting a large study evaluating the technique, called targeted cattle grazing, for creating fuel breaks to help contain fires while not causing grazing-related damage to rangeland health.

Cattle eat strips of highly flammable cheatgrass down to 2- to 3-inch stubble in strategic places. This reduces the fuel load that can otherwise turn small rangeland fires into big fires in a matter of hours.

ARS rangeland scientist Pat Clark said: "These fuel breaks are intended to slow a fire's rate of spread, make it less intense, and provide time and space for firefighters to arrive and contain the fire.”

The study is evaluating targeted grazing at nine sites throughout the northern Great Basin in Idaho, Oregon and Nevada.