Skip to main content

What can prairie dogs teach us about wildfire management?

Aug. 25, 2025
Logan Burtch-Buus, University Communications
A group of four, light brown prairie dogs are grouped together and peering out from a hole in a dirt-strewn field

Black-tailed prairie dogs eat vegetation, create burrows and clear ground. Do those habits impact the spread of wildfires? Researchers from the University of Arizona are calling for more investigations into the small mammal's role in fire management and mitigation strategies.

Courtney Duchardt | College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences