There was a huge fire in Yellowstone NP in 1988. Was just there last month. Our guide told us that the massive fire was caused by the annual small fires being extinguished. Now they let the fires burn naturally.
No, they protect Park infrastructure as much as possible.
There is always the likelyhood that a “back country” fire can eventually get to infrastructure or go beyond the Park boundaries.
“Our guide told us that the massive fire was caused by the annual small fires being extinguished. Now they let the fires burn naturally.”
What the moron failed to tell you was that along with extinguishing “small fires,” they also make no effort to clear dead and dying trees and undergrowth, and also fail to put in access roads and allow reasonable amounts of logging. There is nothing like a clear-cut area to stop the spread of a fire.