{"id":102587,"date":"2025-06-02T19:03:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T19:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=102587"},"modified":"2025-06-02T19:25:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T19:25:41","slug":"fire-hazard-phragmites-sometimes-pose-an-overlooked-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/fire-hazard-phragmites-sometimes-pose-an-overlooked-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire hazard: Phragmites sometimes pose an overlooked risk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 June 2, 2025 \u2013 Laura Meyerson<\/a> was stepping through a marsh on the Housatonic River in Connecticut on a picture-perfect day as a young graduate student, when an offhand remark changed her whole outlook on the landscape in front of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyerson was observing a beautiful scenic outlook overlooking cattails. Then her professor made a comment that stopped her in her tracks. He pointed out that the scene was pretty, but that the nearby invasive reeds were going to wipe out the native muskrats. The day became a turning point in her career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew then I wanted to study this plant species,\u201d Meyerson recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyerson, today a professor of natural resources science at the 溏心vlog免费B站, would like to see other New Englanders recognize the ubiquitous plant known as Phragmites australis<\/em> growing by roadways and ponds for what it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyerson\u2019s research on invasive species is global in nature, taking her to Iceland this fall<\/a>. After getting her Ph.D., Meyerson worked in biosecurity for the Environmental Protection Agency and consulted with Homeland Security on pathogens that could cripple the U.S. food supply. She has served on the U.S. National Invasive Species Council Advisory Committee, is co-editor for the journal Biological Invasions, and has conducted research on invasive species at the Smithsonian Institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyerson finds many reasons to be concerned about invasive species. The fire risk posed by phragmites is just one. She says that while local fire departments are aware of the plant\u2019s risk, those living or working near large stands of the plants may not be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risky reeds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduced phragmites (pronounced frag-mite-eez) was first detected in the U.S. in the 1800s, but it\u2019s a historic plant dating to biblical times that grows on every continent except Antarctica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For invasive introduced phragmites in the Northeast U.S., where the species is now widespread, this process begins in March. They don\u2019t die back until October or even November, later than many native species. When they do, the dead stems remain standing for a couple of years, decomposing slowly and creating a dry flammable wrack layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou end up with dead standing stems with highly flammable seed heads,\u201d Meyerson says, \u201cwhich float up in a fire, plus a thick flammable layer of wrack. It is quite incredible. They can catch like fire bombs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stems have a high lignin and silica content, meaning they are fire-resistant to boot. Basically, they are torches waiting for a match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are just ready to burn when droughts happen,\u201d Meyerson says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events like the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, fueled by non-native grasses and strong wind, have increased public awareness of their dangers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But most of the time, as people see invasive species all over the place, they become a part of the landscape, often viewed as a normal part of nature \u2014 when in fact they are not. This phenomenon is known as \u201cshifting baseline syndrome,\u201d Meyerson says. If a plant has been here in the U.S. for hundreds of years, you assume it was always there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phragmites at Fenway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Meyerson can\u2019t stop seeing phragmites now, the same could be true for more of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invasive phragmites are all over our North American landscape, dotting New England and beyond. Larkin Pond near 溏心vlog免费B站 has them; Block Island, too. They even took over a vacant lot next to Fenway Park, standing 20 feet tall, an unwelcome green monster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyerson says there have been many efforts locally to eradicate the fast-growing plant between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. She points to a successful eradication project in Galilee led by 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Frank Golet, a national leader in wetland management, restoring the saltmarsh at the Point Judith causeway. Sometimes, pesticides are needed for eradication, as was the case at South Kingstown\u2019s Moonstone Beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the East Coast, phragmites have moved across the country and are now an issue in the Great Lakes, the West Coast, and the southeastern U.S., disrupting waterways in Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere. At this point, eradication may be impossible, but the species should be managed or controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of the world\u2019s most successful plant species,\u201d Meyerson says, to the detriment of native plants. And yes, those Connecticut muskrats, which were pushed out of their river home all those years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can Rhode Islanders do, besides advocating for support for their nearest wetlands and increasing their awareness of these invasive neighbors? Meyerson recommends buying and planting native plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCheck the status of the plants you buy,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to plant native; 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Master Gardeners<\/a> and the Rhode Island Natural History Survey have a wealth of information they can share.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other tips she offers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n