A century of fire suppression is worsening wildfires and hurting forests

As parts of the country typically unaffected by wildfires have been blanketed in smoke in recent months, experts are turning to a centuries-old practice as one way to help manage increasingly severe forest fires.  

At the root of the problem, experts say, is the longtime policy of fire exclusion: keeping fire out of the forest. 

Starting in the late 1800's, for nearly a century, fire suppression was America's national policy, putting out fires as soon as they start. While that successfully reduced the amount of forest burned, over time it led to a buildup of highly flammable dead trees and brush on the forest floor.