1. Forest fires need base fuel load to propagate. This is the organic matter at ground level, formed from the dead stuff that trees drop (leaves, branches, whol

1. Forest fires need base fuel load to propagate. This is the organic matter at ground level, formed from the dead stuff that trees drop (leaves, branches, whole dead trees, etc). In other words, forest fires only happen in mature forests that are left alone to accumulate base fuel load. 2. Tree raise the water table under them, by providing shade (so water on the ground doesn't evaporate as quickly and gets a chance to soak into the ground). They also prevent water tables from surfacing (by drawing the water up from their root systems). In other words, a mature forest will manage the water table, rather than being managed by the water table. You get water table problems if you cut down too many trees. Growing more will solve that. 3. this is true. There are lots of ways around it, though, if your goal is to green the desert rather than creating lots of cheap timber quickly.