Properly planned, carried out, and maintained, chaparral-to-grass conversions should reduce the occurrence of large, expensive wildfires. Dollar values of "fire benefits" were calculated for 141 convertible areas in Arizona's Salt-Verde Basin. Case histories of large chaparral fires are analyzed to illustrate principles of chaparral and grass fires in the Southwest. Historical fire data were used in a predictive model, but where data were absent or insufficient, parameters were varied within specified limits. The fire benefit, though not as high as water and forage benefits resulting from conversion, is an important addition to a benefit-cost analysis. The fire benefit varies significantly from area to area because of differences in man-caused and lightning risks, and also in accessibility. While transference of dollar values to other areas is tenuous, the methodology is transferable and can be a very useful planning tool.