Once upon a time, forest fire prevention meant putting out every kind of fire before it spread. But fire management techniques today realize that fires are a vital part of forest health; therefore, wilderness fires which aren't in danger of burning private property or threatening lives are left to burn.

One of the most effective ways to prevent large-scale, high intensity forest fires is to, believe it or not, set a fire. Yes, fires can prevent fires. Forest managers use what's called prescribed or controlled burns to help clear the heavy underbrush from overgrown forests. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service aims to do prescribed burns on more than 1 million acres annually by 2015.

However, as Smokey Bear has always reminded us, we need to prevent human-caused fires. Follow these tips:

• Don't play with matches or lighters. Kids, this means you: 95% of fires started by kids are done with matches.
  
• When cooking, be careful. Wear short sleeve or keep long sleeves out of the way.
• After sawing, clean up carefully; wood shavings and sawdust are the perfect fuel for fires. Sparks from chainsaws or other equipment can start a fire very easily.
• Turn off kerosene camping heaters and lanterns when you're not around to watch them; be careful you don't knock them over, which can create a "puddle" of forest fire fuel.