Notes (Do Not Cite): 'Fire has played an important role in the boreal forest of the Northwest Territories. It is clear that by applying fire to the landscape, early nomadic man was able to manipulate the surrounding forest habitat. At the turn of the century, these traditional fire practices gave way to the European ideals expressed by the Canadian government. From 1900 to 1920, the rise of professional forestry and the conservation movement accelerated attempts to limit fire occurrence beyond the settled regions. A large-scale development boom in the North during the post war period produced a wave of man-caused fires. After 1950, the federal government felt it necessary to take a more authoritative approach to land management in the NWT. As a result, a relatively advanced fire program was established in the Mackenzie District.'