Wildfire suppression in the United States has had a long and varied history . For most of the 20th century , any form of wildland fire , whether it was naturally caused or otherwise , was quickly suppressed for fear of uncontrollable and destructive conflagrations such as the Peshtigo Fire in 1871 and the Great Fire of 1910 . In the 1960s , policies governing wildfire suppression changed due to ecological studies that recognized fire as a natural process necessary for new growth . Today , policies advocating complete fire suppression have been exchanged for those who encourage wildland fire use , or the allowing of fire to act as a tool , such as the case with controlled burns
Great Fire of 1910
Great Fire of 1910
History of wildfire suppression in the United States