**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RECENT INCREASES IN THE SEVERITY AND FREQUENCY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS (E.G., DROUGHT) ARE CAUSING HIGH-SEVERITY RANGELAND WILDFIRES TO OCCUR MORE OFTEN THAN EVER BEFORE. RANCHERS AND OTHER RANGELAND MANAGERS ARE STRUGGLING TO ADAPT. PAST RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE ARE LESS RELEVANT TODAY, AND RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION TO GUIDE POST-FIRE MANAGEMENT IS LIMITED BECAUSE THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF WILDFIRE MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT WELL-DESIGNED STUDIES THAT INCLUDE PRE-BURN DATA. CURRENTLY, LIVESTOCK GRAZING IS COMMONLY EXCLUDED FROM BURNED AREAS FOR 1 OR 2 GROWING SEASONS POST-FIRE. THIS PRACTICE IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED RANCHES THAT OFTEN HAVE FEW, IF ANY, ALTERNATIVE AREAS FOR POST-FIRE GRAZING, AND INCREASING WILDFIRE FREQUENCY EXACERBATES THIS PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, A GROWING BODY OF LITERATURE INDICATES THAT RANGELAND PLANTS RECOVER FROM WILDFIRE MORE QUICKLY THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY POST-FIRE LIVESTOCK GRAZING STRATEGIES THAT SUSTAIN RANGELAND VEGETATION. MUCH LESS IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW RANGELAND SOILS RESPOND TO SEVERE WILDFIRES AND POST-FIRE LIVESTOCK GRAZING. GIVEN THE INCREASING FREQUENCY OF SEVERE RANGELAND WILDFIRES, THERE IS A CRITICAL AND IMMEDIATE NEED TO DEVELOP POST-FIRE LIVESTOCK GRAZING STRATEGIES THAT CAN SUSTAIN RANGELAND PLANT AND SOIL HEALTH WHILE ALSO SUSTAINING FOOD AND FIBER PRODUCTION AND THE SOCIOECONOMIC HEALTH OF RURAL RANCHING COMMUNITIES. THE RESEARCH PORTION OF OUR PROJECT CENTERS AROUND A WILDFIRE THAT OCCURRED ON THE USDA-ARS LIVESTOCK &AMP; RANGE RESEARCH LABORATORY IN MILES CITY, MT ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2022. THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY THROUGH AREAS WHERE, FORTUITOUSLY,VEGETATION AND SOIL DATA HAD BEEN COLLECTED PRIOR TO THE FIRE DURING SUMMER OF 2022. THUS, WE HAVE AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO COMPARE RANGELAND PLANT AND SOIL HEALTH BEFORE AND AFTER A HIGH-INTENSITY WILDFIRE EVENT. THE 1,100-ACRE WILDFIRE BURNED WITHIN A 7,563-ACRE RANGELAND PASTURE AND YIELDED A GRADIENT OF FIRE SEVERITY ACROSS THE PASTURE. WE WILL APPLY CATTLE GRAZING AT A MODERATE STOCKING RATE IN SUMMER 2023 WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO EXAMINE PLANT AND SOIL RESPONSE TO THE INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF FIRE SEVERITY AND CATTLE GRAZING INTENSITY ACROSS THE PASTURE. THE EXTENSION PORTION OF OUR PROJECT INCLUDES RANCHERS; TRIBAL, STATE AND FEDERAL NATURAL RESOURCE AGENCY PERSONNEL;EXTENSION EDUCATORS;AND RESEARCH SCIENTISTS COLLABORATING TOGETHER TO FORMULATE THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND METHODS, ANALYZE THE DATA, AND INTREPET THE RESEARCH RESULTS. OUR COLLABORATIVE STAKEHOLDER GROUP ALSO WILL WORK TOGETHER TO 1) SYNTHESIZE OUR RESEARCH RESULTS INTO CATTLE GRAZING MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES, AND 2) DISSEMINATE THE PROJECT'S FINDINGS TO OUR TARGET AUDIENCES.