[HartleyMBaldwin]

Yes, I know. When I made my living fighting fires in the 70s and 80s, forest managers were aware of that even then, and we used fire quite a bit for fuel reduction. Even thinned trees with fire sometimes, though that could get tricky.

But there were decades of old-style put-every-fire-out-right-now forest management to correct, and that still isn’t done and likely will never be. Yes, theoretically it would be possible to groom every wooded area like a city park, so there were no uncontrolled fires at all, but that would cost a great deal more than any organization could pay. In the meantime, nature will catch up on the burning its own way.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

But there were decades of old-style put-every-fire-out-right-now forest management to correct, and that still isn’t done and likely will never be.

Causing the flammable biomass to accumulate to catastrophic proportions.

I know you know that.

The "Spottted Owl" is disappearing because it's preferred habitat is burned hollow trees.