The Forest Service has been trying to thin the forests for years
but the rabid-type environmentalists keep taking them to court. Over the decades, we've been so successful at fighting fires that the forests are much thicker than normal. The Forest Service wanted to clear out some of the dead wood and underbrush as well as do some controlled burns. Every time they tried to do it, the environmentalists kicked up a fuss. Fire is a normal part of the natural cycle, but now there's so much fuel in the forests that it'll probably take months to put it out. Over 6,000 people have already been evacuated and they've been told it could be September before they can return home - assuming they have a home to return to.