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The influence of burning (head and back fire) on seedling recruitment and survival of different grass species in a semi-arid grassland were quantified over the 2000/01 to 2001/02 growing seasons. The behaviour of the head and back fires was also monitored. Soil temperature and soil-water content were recorded once a week at 10mm and 50mm depth intervals respectively. At ground level, the back fire exceeded 100degreesC, while the head fire recorded temperatures of less than 100degreesC. Due to the lower basal cover (28% lower than for unburnt grassland over the first year after the fire) of the burnt grassland, the soil temperature, daily and seasonal to a depth of 50mm, increased (P < 0.05) while the soil-water content decreased (P < 0.05). The seedling survival was significantly lower due to the fire, which can possibly be ascribed to the lower basal cover and resultant change in micro-climate. The average seedling density of the surviving seedlings in burnt (average of head and back fires) and unburnt grassland at the end of the first season after burning, were 0.48 and 0.86 seedlings m(-2) respectively. Fire influenced the species richness negatively. Pioneer grass species (Aristida congesta and Tragus koelerioide) intruded in the burnt grassland, which were not present in the unburnt grassland. The seedling establishment of Eragrostis chloromelas, Themeda triandra and Elionurus muticus were heavily decreased by fire. Eragrostis chloromelas was the species forming most seed culms per tuft over the growing season regardless of burning, with Elionurus muticus most stimulated for seed formation due to the fire, and Themeda triandra not much influenced by fire. The burning of semi-arid grassland did have an important impact on the seasonal survival of seedlings over the short-term, and therefore the resultant functioning of the grassland ecosystem.