Our problem now is that we cannot return to methods used by indigenous peoples other than for small, prescribed burns. The amount of forest fire smoke would be many times that experienced during the worst recent years, and the destruction of our infrastructure and danger to the human and wildlife population would be unfathomable. It would also release untold amount of harmful pollutants. The good news is that we can accomplish the same objective to reduce the fuel load, using well-proven, scientifically approved silvicultural techniques to accomplish the necessary, without all the negatives that come with extreme fire.