Fire has always been a part of any forest and wildlife region. And for years the Forest Service believed fire was a bad thing. But, without regular fires forests became unbalanced and a bigger tinder boxes ready to erupt with a simple strike of lightning.  Should we allow more fires to just burn themselves out no matter how many homes are destroyed?

GUESTS
Dick Bahr, Lead, National Fire Science and Ecology Program
Ray Ring, High Country News

• HCN: Why there are so many fires in the southwest
• HCN: Who should pay when houses burn