...unless there were dramatic changes in, say, firefighting methods, techniques and policies after WWII. E.g. wider use of vehicles, implementation of fire roads
I can't think of many natural cycles that would cause fire acreage to be cut in half between 1943 and 1949, then cut in half again by 1956, then stay in the same general range for decades, and start an upward trend in the mid-80s.
And as with many other aspects, climate change is not necessarily the initial cause of an event.
For example, climate change does not result in a higher number of hurricanes per year (let alone the numbers hitting US shores). However, it makes the storms more intense and more damaging. The increased water vapor in the atmosphere results in more precipitation; the precipitation and higher sea levels both increase flood damage; changes to pressure systems can result in hurricanes parking over land for days longer than in the past. We saw all of this with Hurricane Harvey.
Yes, I'm definitely not saying it is the only factor that causes all wildfires, or can make them worse. Changes in fire policies and funding will have a big impact on future fires. I also believe that wildfire management is one area where human efforts may be more capable of mitigating the impact of climate change. It's certainly not easy or cheap, but it's a cakewalk compared to, say, preparing every coastal city for increased flooding due to climate change.
That said, we are just starting to see some of the impacts of climate change, and unfortunately it's going to get worse.
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