Foreword
The 2002 wildfire season, one of the worst in modern history, has reignited the congressional debate over how best to manage forests and minimize the risks of such devastating blazes. According to the National Fire Information Center, about 6.5 million acres have burned throughout the country so far this year, nearly double the 10-year average. Fires also are burning with greater speed and intensity than in the past. Experts say the main reason for this trend is a longstanding Federal policy of suppressing (i.e., putting out) wildland fires in national forests. This practice has disrupted the historical occurrence of low-intensity…
