The Diamond Fire devastated nearly 2,000 acres of the Sonoran Desert on June 27, which included almost 300 acres in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Unlike many ecosystems that are adapted to recover naturally from wildfires, burns in the Sonoran Desert call for human intervention to restore to a healthy native state.

“We are focused on action and restoration — research opportunities will come later once we are confident the area impacted by the Diamond Fire will have a healthy and native recovery,” Melanie Tluczek, director of science and education at the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, said in a press release. “Our biggest concern right now is controlling the spread of invasive grasses, which have potential to create a dangerous food desert for wildlife like the Sonoran Desert tortoise, an important keystone species.”

Invasive grasses like Red Brome spread rapidly and can aggressively overtake habitats after a major disturbance like the Diamond Fire, according to the release. Many Sonoran Desert native plants like the saguaro are slow-growing species and will struggle to re-establish post-fire if left alone to compete with invasive species.

Without intervention, the burned area, known as the “Gooseneck,” will be overtaken by Red Brome and create a “food desert” for native wildlife that are not adapted to get needed nutrients from the nonnative grass, the release stated.

The Gooseneck is a narrow strip of land that connects the northern and southern parts of the preserve. Animals like the Sonoran Desert tortoise have no choice but to travel through it to reach different parts of their habitat. Without quality food sources from native plants, these tortoises could face a life-threatening journey traveling through the narrow corridor. As a keystone species, a drop in tortoise population will throw the entire Sonoran Desert ecosystem off balance, according to the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.

The conservancy in collaboration with the city of Scottsdale currently conducting damage assessments from the fire and developing a restoration plan for the Gooseneck.

“Responding to situations like the Diamond Fire with proven, scientific strategies that will give the preserve’s ecosystem and wildlife like our Sonoran Desert tortoises the best chance to thrive — it’s exactly why the conservancy is here,” Kelly McCullough, CEO at the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, said in the release.