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It only grows that thick after it has been clear cut. Old growth forests have a high canopy that starves thick underbrush for light. Humans clear cutting are part of the problem. When there is a forest fire in old growth the brush might burn but the big old trees will survive several fires.

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The north is different. The trees are not the giant cedars of the pacific coastal rain forest. There often isn't anything to call a canopy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_forest_of_Canada

ah ok. I've only been up north once around terrace and bell 2 which is still kind of coastal compared to fort Mac

Canadian here. I'm often amazed at how tall the trees are, when I've visited the southern US. I'm not even that far north (I'm near Ottawa), but the differences are still quite obvious to me.

the ottawa valley has been completely logged as well. 100ft tall white pines used to cover the area

This is true. But Aboriginal's did execute controlled burns for reasons XYZ.

One reason for controlled burns was to create a funnel in a thick new growth area in order to funnel the herding animals for hunting purposes.

These controlled burns had successs in diminishing the risk of wild unstoppable fires.

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