Abstract Fireâherbivory feedbacks strongly influence the formation of grazing lawns in savanna ecosystems. Preliminary findings suggest that smallâscale (<25 ha) fires can engineer grazing lawns by concentrating herbivores on the postâburn green flush; however, the persistence of such grazing lawns over the longer term and without repeated fire is unknown. We used highâresolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to investigate the longâterm effects of fire manipulation on short grass structure (height, cover, volume and spatial continuity) and grazing lawn establishment in Kruger National Park, South Africa. We analysed the effects of fire exclusion and experimental burns applied over a 7âyear period (2013â2019) followed by a 1âyear cessation of burning at varying spatial scales during the early and late dry seasons. Fires contributed a fourfold increase in short grass cover, regardless of fire season or size. The distribution of grass height differed significantly between fireâinduced grazing lawns and recently unburnt parts of the landscape where controlled fires were excluded over the experimental period. The volume (corresponding to bulk density) of short grass on the landscape responded strongly to fires, with grass volume <20 cm in height increasing with both early and late dry season fires. Early dry season fires caused larger and more homogeneous short grass patches. Furthermore, early dry season fires were more influential in increasing the cover of the shortest grass height class (1â5 cm). Synthesis and applications. Our results demonstrate that fireâinduced grazing lawns can persist over the longer term, even when fires are no longer applied, leading to the creation of vertical and horizontal heterogeneity in the grass layer. Smallâscale fires, therefore, represent a feasible management approach to expanding grazing lawn extent, potentially benefiting grazer coexistence and diversity.