In the past, forest managers always put out wildfires. More recently, forest managers have discovered that fire can be a good thing for some ecosystems. Wildfires are now sometimes allowed to burn rather than always be put out. When a wildfire is threatening human communities, however, it is put out. The Federal Government passed the law to encourage communities to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan which included the wildland-urban interface (WUI). The scientists wanted to learn about Topics: Active Forest Management, Fire, Social Science, Case Study, Community Involvement, Fire Preparedness, Fuels Reduction, Homeowners.