Foresters and ecologists argue that large controlled burns in Yellowstone prior to the fires would not have greatly reduced the area that was consumed in 1988. Controlled burns would quickly become uncontrolled if they were allowed to burn with the intensity that many tree and plant communities need for proper regeneration.
Foresters and ecologists maintain that pre-fire controlled burns in Yellowstone might not have effectively mitigated the area burned in 1988. Managed burns could easily become uncontrollable if allowed to burn at their necessary intensity, which is crucial for plant and tree rejuvenation.