The Peshtigo Fire of 1871

Artist's Rendition of Pre-Fire Peshtigo

           These days, with the climate warming and weather changing, it is becoming increasingly common to hear about wildfires both in the United States and abroad. Australia is plagued with fires as their inner regions warm and dry up. In the US, California and other western states are struggling to keep wildfires at bay despite higher temperatures and less rain. It would make sense to assume that the deadliest fire in the history of the United States took place there, however, it did not. Its location was far cooler: Wisconsin surrounding the village of Peshtigo.

            The wildfire took place in 1871 in northeastern Wisconsin and into Michigan. The weather conditions that summer were perfect for fires. There had been droughts and unusually high temperatures throughout the country, causing the parched landscape to become a giant tinderbox. On October 8, a cold front started to move through the region. The strong and steady breeze fulfilled the last factor needed to make any fire that happened huge. A total of five separate fires were sparked across Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin that day, the most famous of which was the Great Chicago Fire, however none of these fires had the same intensity of the Peshtigo fire.

            There are a number of ways that the initial spark that started the deadly blaze could have originated. The area depended on agriculture and lumber for its income. In farming, it was commonplace to burn small sections of land to clear them, one of which could have started burning out of control. The area lumber mills kept great amounts of raw lumber around them and also produced sawdust and bark as waste. In such dry conditions a stray spark from a saw could have ignited the blaze. Additionally, sparks from train wheels could have lit dried grass around the track. Whatever the source, once the blaze started, it grew uncontrollably on the plethora of dried objects that it could easily burn. Bucket brigades were no match for these beasts.

            Before the terrified residents knew it, they were dealing with a massive fire. Strong winds caused the fire to move at perhaps 40 to 50 miles per hour and develop into a firestorm. The blaze reached five miles wide and by some estimations, a mile high. Even the people on the other side of the bay were not safe, as the firestorm jumped more than ten miles across Green Bay. Even more terrifying were the fire tornadoes that developed during the chaos. One whirled through the village of Peshtigo, flattening and incinerating everything in its path. The residents of another town close to Peshtigo tried to flee, however they either burned to death while running or boiled as they tried to shelter in a small river.

            When the fire ended, it had burned 1.2 million acres and killed an estimated 1200 to 2500 people. The exact number is unclear, as some towns were burned so completely that there was no one left to identify bodies or give an estimate of how many lived in the area. Nearly 350 people, about half the population of Peshtigo, was buried in a mass grave near the town. The desolation was so complete that many left the area rather than live among the painful memories. Accordingly rebuilding was slow. The state government was not in session so the only immediate aid that got to the town was a train car load of supplies commandeered by the wife of the governor. Eventually the residents received some government assistance but it was too little too late; their lives had already been charred beyond recognition.

            A fire of this magnitude is unlikely to happen again in the United States. The ability to fight fires in planes and the practice of controlled burns to prevent larger fires have made conditions exponentially safer. In addition, better communication systems and faster response before and after wildfires can save many of those caught in these dangerous situations.

Sources:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/grb/peshtigofire.php
http://www.peshtigofire.info/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_Fire