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The 10 AM Rule and Wildfire Paradox | Los Angeles News
Description
In 1933, the Forest Service enforced the “10 a.m. rule” — extinguishing every wildfire by 10 a.m. the day after it started — born from trauma of past disasters like the Big Burn of 1910. But suppressing all fires backfired: decades of fire suppression piled up dead wood, priming forests for catastrophic, explosive fires. By the 1970s, the rule was relaxed to allow some natural fires. Yet today, with climate change and more homes in wildland areas, fire costs have soared — and there’s even talk of reviving the old suppression mindset. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz recently vowed to keep fires small, promising full-suppression strategies for every blaze — a nod to the old ways, even if the 10 a.m. rule isn’t officially back. The tension between protecting communities and preserving natural fire cycles remains unresolved, as wildfire management continues to evolve.
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