controlled burning to clear away the undergrowth is what is needed. its the undergrowth that fuels the fires. the trees, especially old growth dont burn to easily on there own but add the fuel of a few feet of twiggs and brush and then the fires get hot enough to ignight the whole tree. i know these things because my sister works for the forest service in oregon, my grandfather was a forest fire fighter in california, my good friend is in pyrotechnics and another friend is a pyromaniac (now on his 2nd year of a 12 year sentence).