(CNN) -- Much as wildfires spread, so has the knowledge of their
causes, role in shaping the landscape, and the methods used to
control them, especially in developed areas. Omi fought
wildfires for four years before becoming professor of forest
fire science at Colorado State. Phil Omi, a former firefighter
and professor of forest science at Colorado State University for
the past 28 years, shared his expertise about wildfires and the
challenges that face professional foresters, firefighters and
the general public. PHIL OMI: Some things ... have changed in
the last few decades. The way [national agencies] manage forests
is more enlightened, regarding the ecological impact. On the
other hand, we're fooling ourselves if we believe that we have
had that much of an impact in terms of controlling costs and
losses from wildfires. The technologies have much improved, in
terms of computer tools and capabilities. But in terms of on-
the-ground implementation of astute management practices, there
have been some bottleneck