A bit o historical perspective - Here in the country west of Los Angeles, inhabited by the Chumash, Native Americans, it was customary to intentionally set fires periodically to clear openings or travel and provide food for native animals (which were then available or hunting). This doesn't mean that they didn't suffer catastrophic fires from time to time - archaeologists encounter burned structure fairly regularly.

There is definite suspicion that native Americans on balance did a better, more sustainable job of managing the vegetation that more recent inhabitants, whose initial response was total fire suppression across the board, now being modified to strategies that seem similar to those in place long ago..

A properly managed controlled burn in not at all like the conflagrations we are seeing currently, which is why conditions have to meet very strict criteria. A good controlled burn will burn at low intensity, spread at a moderate rate, consuming grasses and other light fuels, and leaving mature trees untouched. When done properly, you do not get the accumulations of flammable fuel which stoke the fires so prominent now on TV.