Dead burnt trees fall down and rot feeding the next fire that comes through that forest. Instead of logging those trees and using them leaving good trees and new growth behind.
That explains some of it, but different types of fuel take different amounts of time to catch fire, so like a dry prairie can catch on fire about instantly, but live saplings of 1" will not burn unless the fire keeps going for an hour.
A decomposing log on the forest floor won't really burn till it has been in a fire for somewhere around 100 hours.
https://images.app.goo.gl/jcLatNG6dAdpoALY8
Source: Spent 10 years as a wildland firefighter on major fires my whole career. And still have friends and family that are deployed on fires today.
Also, thanks for being a wildland firefighter, lots of us who live in hills and forests really really appreciate you.
Do you write/post about your land anywhere? Would be an interesting story to follow.