CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — It's Wildfire Awareness Week. Fountain grass is an invasive plant that is commonly seen on roadsides and in neighborhoods in Tucson.
Fountain grass poses a very big risk when it comes to wildfires. Tucson Bird Alliance's Invasive Plant Program Manager, Tony Figueroa, works to remove these plants around Tucson.
“Just chokes out our washes and creates this monoculture of non-native plants that out-competes all of our native wildflowers and presents this fire danger," Figueroa explains.
Fountain grass is native to northern Africa and western Asia.
Figueroa explains that since the fountain grass is taking over certain areas, it spreads into washes, which makes the wildfire risk increase.
“When it burns, it burns at about 1,500 degrees," he said. "This stuff is incredibly hot."
Fountain grass is still sold as an ornamental plant in nurseries, the National Park Service reports. It was first spotted near Tucson in 1946 in the Santa Catalina Mountains.
If you see fountain grass in your yard, you can remove it yourself.
“If you cut it, it’s gonna regrow from there. If you light it on fire, it’s gonna regrow from there. If you remove half of the plant but left that little tiny thing in there, it’s gonna regrow. So, for manual removal, you just have to be diligent," Figueroa explains you must pull the roots in order to make a difference.
“If you only have three plants in your front yard, that’s something you can follow up on in a routine basis. But if you have a quarter-acre infestation in your yard, you might just want to take a different approach," Figueroa explained.
He explains that if you have a landscaper, it is best to ask them to do it if it's a quarter-acre infestation. Or, spray it with an herbicide when it is green and growing. He emphasized it must be green and growing if sprayed with an herbicide to make a difference.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
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