Wildland fires are becoming a major concern. Human activity patterns have changed the landscapes over the past three decades.
Natural resources are too valuable to let fires burn uncontrolled.
Wildland fire fighting budgets are shrinking. More people are escaping the cities into the wildlands. This responsibility for national fire protection was assigned by congress as part of a overall increase in civil defense measures during the second World War. Presently, primary responsibility for structure fires within the wildland-urban interface lies with property owners, State, and local governments. At the local level this responsibility is usually expressed in the creation of volunteer fire departments with State and Federal assistance programs.