Assessing the role of forest grazing in reducing fire severity: a mitigation strategy

This paper investigates the role of prescribed grazing as a sustainable fire prevention strategy in Mediterranean ecosystems, with a focus on Sardinia, an area highly susceptible to wildfires. Using FlamMap simulation software, the authors modelled fire behaviour across various grazing and environmental conditions to assess the impact of grazing on fire severity indicators, including flame length, rate of spread and fireline intensity. The study evaluated different canopy cover conditions, climatic scenarios and grazing regimes using field-collected biomass data and fuel models developed for Sardinian wooded pastures.

Results demonstrate that grazing can reduce fire severity by decreasing combustible biomass. Approximately 33% of fine fuel biomass was removed through grazing, with an average forage consumption of 0.75 t/ha. Grazing reduced the extent of fire by 25.9% in wet years, 60.9% in median years and 45.8% in dry years. The largest reductions in flame length, rate of spread and fireline intensity occurred in high-canopy cover areas during wet years.