The local Ohlone tribe did their own type of controlled burns. It also helped them monitor grizzly bears better.
Fires are even part of the reproductive cycle of nearby redwoods. Prescribed burns help limit the fire fuel, so that fires don't get too hot, which is bad for redwoods.
There are more expensive ways to reduce forest fuel [focused on ground fuel].
In my nearby NF they have both proscribed burns and then thinning operations of young trees & significant tree harvesting of mature trees.
The thinning ops of non-timber trees looks to be expensive.
In addition there is the possibility of mowing, which I should be doing on my lot but haven’t in areas away from the house.
Depends on the topography and the vegetative type and also whether or not it has been done on a regular basis.
The Indians did it best in the Eastern US forest lands.
They kept the lower vegetation under control and allowed for the wildlife to flourish and created a great hunting habitat as a result.