Some years back, the federal government in the US decided to get strict about protecting certain natural areas. This resulted in a build up of dry brush because

Some years back, the federal government in the US decided to get strict about protecting certain natural areas. This resulted in a build up of dry brush because people were not allowed to do things like collect firewood. The end result was some of the worst forest fires in US history. Humans need to be good stewards to the land and stop framing themselves as somehow not a part of "nature."