2 words.
Controlled burning

Got a forest fire, burn the brush out in front of it and see how long that fire lasts. Saves millions of acres of pristine and beautiful forrest every year, and still gets criticized when it is in the spotlight because the public is so uninformed.

Also good as preventive medicine, which doesn't mean that folks should go leaving campfires unattended! What it does mean, is that the good park rangers who plan it out and do it with a good eye and a bit of expertise should get more credit!

It is something that backpackers such as myself truly appreciate though :-)

Just Another Perl Backpacker

Thanks for the new sig idea jcwren!