The Major Forest Fires of the Last Century

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1871

October 8–14, Peshtigo, Wisconsin:

Over 1,500 lives lost and 3.8 million acres burned in nation's worst forest fire.

1889

June 6, Seattle, Washington:

Fire destroyed 64 acres of the city and killed 2 persons. Damage was estimated at $15 million.

1894

September 1, Minnesota:

Forest fires ravaged over 160,000 acres and destroyed six towns; 600 killed, including 413 in town of Hinckley.

1902

September, Washington and Oregon:

Yacoult fire destroyed 1 million acres and left 38 dead.

1910

August 10, Idaho and Montana:

Fires burned 3 million acres of woods and killed 85 people.

1918

October 13–15, Minnesota and Wisconsin:

Forest fire struck towns in both states; 1,000 died, including 400 in town of Cloquet, Minn. This fire created about $1 million in losses.

1947

October 25–27, Maine:

Forest fire destroyed part of Bar Harbor and damaged Acadia National Park. In all, 205,678 acres burned and 16 lives were lost.

1949

August 5, Mann Gulch, Montana:

12 smokejumpers—firefighters who parachuted near the fire—and one forest ranger died after being overtaken by a 200-ft wall of fire at the top of a gulch near Helena, Mont. Three smokejumpers survived.

1956

November 25, California:

Fire destroyed 40,000 acres in Cleveland National Forest and caused 11 deaths.

1970

September 26, Laguna, California:

Large-scale brush fire burned 175,425 acres and 382 structures.

1988

August–September, Western U.S.:

Fires destroyed over 1.2 million acres in Yellowstone National Park and damaged Alaska woodlands.

1990

June, Santa Barbara, California:

Painted Cave fire consumed 4,900 acres and destroyed 641 structures.

1991

October 20–23, Oakland–Berkeley, California:

Brush fire in drought-stricken area destroyed over 3,000 homes and apartments. At least 24 persons died; damage estimated at $1.5 billion.

1994

July 2–11, South Canyon, Colorado:

Relatively small fire (2,000 acres) resulted in deaths of 14 firefighters.

2000

April–May, northern New Mexico:

Prescribed fire started by National Park Service raged out of control, destroying 235 structures and forcing evacuation of more than 20,000 people. Blaze consumed an estimated 47,000 acres and threatened Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Summer, western U.S.:

As of Aug. 31 nearly 6.5 million acres had burned nationwide, more than double the ten-year average. States hardest hit included Alaska, Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., N.M., Nev., Ore., Tex., Utah, Wash., and Wyo.

November 3, western U.S.:

Combination of hot, dry weather and plenty of dry vegetation led to one of the most destructive forest fire seasons in U.S. history. As of Nov. 3 about 7.2 million acres had burned nationwide, nearly double the ten-year average. States hardest hit included Alaska, Idaho, Mont., N.M., Nev., and Ore.

2002

June–early July, mainly western U.S.:

Hayman fire in Pike National Forest destroyed 137,760 acres and 600 structures, making it the worst wildfire in Colorado history. In central Ariz., the 85,000-acre Rodeo fire, which had already been declared the worst in Arizona's history, merged with the Chediski fire to form an inferno that destroyed 468,638 acres and more than 400 structures. Large wildfires also burned in Alaska, southern Calif., N.M., Utah, Oregon, and Ga.