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Prescribed fire means not only controlled burns used to meet management objectives, but also includes natural fires ignited by lightning that fall within a "prescription" that are allowed to burn as an ecosystem process. A prescription is a set of conditions that considers the safety of the public and fire staff, weather, and probability of meeting the burn objectives. Natural ignitions are sometimes called "fire-use fires" or WFURB fires –Wildland Fire Use For Resource Benefit.
Some parks have areas designated as "Natural Fire Zone" in which natural ignitions are closely monitored but allowed to burn as a natural process without intervention. In some mountainous western parks many lightning-caused fires have been allowed to burn and die naturally each year.
In most parks, management ignited prescribed fires are used to manage vegetation instead of lightning-caused fires. Prescribed burns have been ignited to reduce hazardous fuel loads near developed areas, manage landscapes, restore natural woodlands and for research purposes. Before any prescribed or wildland fire use fires are permitted, the park must complete a Fire Management Plan and burn plans. Each planned fire must meet all the conditions identified in a no go checklist before ignition. When fire cannot be used, most hazard fuel reduction is accomplished with saws and manual removal.
Hazard fuel reduction around developed areas provides for fire fighter safety and structure protection in the event of a wildfire, but also gives the fire management staff greater confidence and a broader prescription to allow natural ignitions to burn their course.
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