During the year 2002, Colorado suffered one of the worst fire seasons in its history. The culprits were a bolt of lightning, a careless camper, and, in the case of the 137,000- acre Hayman Fire, arson by a USDA Forest Service employee. The facts show that the number of situations like the one in Colorado is increasing around the world.

One major concern of fire managers worldwide is not the num- ber of lightning-started wildfires, which has been about the same in the United States since 1941, but the number of fires started by people, which has increased every year since the 1940s.

Fire managers know that not all wildfires can be prevented, nor do managers want to eliminate wildfires because they are one of the transforming forces of nature that allows for rejuvenation and continuation of life. Their challenge is to develop and apply strategies...