Will summer in the Far West be smoky forever??

Oh, I see. We are talking about two different things. You are talking about managing to minimize fire, and I am talking about managing for long-term health of the forest.

Absence of downed wood and undergrowth inhibits fire, but also destroys the soil and eventually makes it impossible for trees to grow there, turning forest into wasteland. That leads to the massive landslides that have been destroying homes and blocking highways.