THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNHEALTHY AND HEALTHY FORESTS
In a crowded forest, as shown in the illustrations above and to the left and right, fuels provide a ladder for fire to quickly climb from the forest floor to the crowns of trees, which can lead to destruction of the entire landscape.
But through controlled burns, a healthy, more fire-resistant forest is possible, as shown in the illustrations below. Periodic, low-intensity fires clear grass, debris and small trees on the forest floor.