Carefully Timed Burning Can Control Barb Oatgrass

California's grasslands have been damaged by the invasion of the noxious and nonnative barb goatgrass. As yet, a control strategy has not been developed that does not harm beneficial grass species. A controlled burning program at the UC Hopland Research and Extension center used fires in the spring and early summer. While one year of fires was not sufficient to control regrowth, two years of complete burning controlled the goatgrass while allowing native perennial grasses to increase, as well as beneficial legumes. The completeness of the second-year burn determined the success of the control.