The 10 a.m. Rule and Wildfire Paradox | Las Vegas News

For decades, the U.S. Forest Service enforced the “10 a.m. rule,” demanding every wildfire be extinguished by noon the next day — a policy born from early 20th-century disasters like the Big Burn of 1910. But suppressing all fires backfired, piling up dead wood and fuel that fueled even bigger, more destructive blazes. By the 1970s, the rule was abandoned in favor of letting some fires burn naturally to clear excess fuel. Yet with more homes in fire zones and climate change drying things out, suppression pressure surged — even sparking recent calls to revive the old rule. Fire experts warn this could undo decades of progress, arguing controlled burns are vital for forest health. While the Forest Service chief insists on rapid, aggressive initial attacks to keep fires small and protect people, the debate over the best long-term strategy rages on. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/745732ce64e69ec6