Unfortunately, our public officials are in a no-win situation. Recall the devastating fire of several years ago in Yellowstone Park. This fire was naturally started by lightning. The Forest Service had adopted a policy (which I think is still in effect) that they would not suppress fires started by natural causes, only those "unnaturally" started -- i.e. by arsons, out-of-control campfires, etc. Because of this decision, significant areas of the park were burned, including some of the "public" areas (those areas to which the visitor has easy access) and the Forest Service caught h--l for it. Everyone claimed that they needlessly allowed a national treasure to burn.

I think (perhaps wrongly) that the Forest Service now realizes their past errors. So the issue now is educating the public that fire can be good and to not criticize the various agencies for not rushing to put them out. If the public continues to pressure the agencies to immediately douse all fires, they will do so because they want to keep their jobs. I'm not trying to excuse boneheaded stunts such as the irresponsible controlled burns we had this year at Arrowhead Springs and last year near Los Alamos, NM. You know what I mean (I hope).

Anyway, it seems I'm preaching to the choir here, which is good.