The Dome Fire was significant for pointing out the problems of fighting fires on the Pajarito Plateau, particularly the dangers posed by rapidly spreading crown fires. The Dome Fire was the immediate inspiration for creation of the Inter-agency Wildfire Management Team and for studies that predicted further fires in nearby areas such as Los Alamos National Laboratory. Modified fire breaks were later cut along the sides of State Highway 501, which aided firefighters in the Cerro Grande Fire of 2000.
