The wildfire season is at swing during this period, bringing the disastrous events in everyday life, so we’re bringing the 10 biggest fires in US history to you help you remember how serious this problem can be. Many climate scientists believe that the effects of global warming are fast-spreading fires. We’re aware of the situation, and we try to raise the awareness of the public. The wildfires take lives, destroy properties and nature and endanger wildlife. Forests are one of the most important parts of our planet’s ecosystem, providing the air we breathe. The importance of preserving and keeping them from a fire is crucial. We’ve listed 10 states with the most forest fires for you recently, as we researched the areas that are prone to the fires the most.
Digital Storm/Shutterstock.com
Today, we are bringing the 10 biggest fires in US history, chronologically sorted. Those were the most dangerous fires which spread to vast areas quickly, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of nature and properties, and taking away many human lives. We are afraid, that predictions of the climate scientists about the biggest fires are yet to come. So, we’re hoping to raise the awareness, and you should participate by sharing the article with friends, as we all together must be more aware and ready when the disaster strikes.
The 10 biggest fires in US history so far are:
10. Miramichi Fire – 1825
Even though the Miramichi City is in Canada, this firestorm reached the state of Maine, and destroyed the huge area in both US and Canada. The number of victims of the event is 160. Because of the huge area that burned, this is the one of the top three biggest forest fires in North America. More than 100 miles of terrain was ruined by the fire, the local people ran alongside the wildlife, trying to save themselves by the river of Miramichi.
9. Great Fires, Upper Midwest region – 1871
October was the month when the horror struck the Upper Midwest, and four worst fires in US history happened in this period. Great Chicago fire was first, destroying more than one-third of the city’s property. Then the bad situation became the horrible one; the fire of Michigan cities of Holland and Manistee occurred practically at the same time, and they were followed by Port Huron fire, which annihilated the city. The worst was the Great Peshtigo Fire, blazing and destroying the Wisconsin countryside. There were 3000 casualties from all events combined.
8. The Thumb Fire – 1881
Over a million acres burned in this catastrophic event that took place on September 5, 1881, in the Thumb area of Michigan. The strong wind was the biggest problem for the firefighters, spreading the blaze really fast. Huge heat scorched the ground; 282 lives were lost on that day. The regions of Sanilac, Lapeer, Tuscola and Huron were demolished the most. Many believe this fire was an after-effect of previous fires in 1871.
7. The Great Fire, Idaho – 1910
The blaze that destroyed a huge area in Idaho, Montana and Washington (over 3 million acres) is considered to be the largest single fire in the US history so far. 78 brave firefighters lost their lives suppressing the fire; the casualties combined were 87. This fire was the turning point in history that has shaped the US Forest Service.
6. Chinchaga Fire – 1950
4,200,000 acres of land was under the fire in Chinchaga River area in 1950. This fire was left to burn freely, to clear the land for the new settlements in the region. Over 3,500,000 acres of forest burned in the territory of Alberta and British Columbia. The interesting fact about this event – the huge amounts of smoke in the upper atmosphere made some interesting shapes in the sky that could have be seen across the entire America. An interesting fact about this event – there were some reporting of “blue moons and suns in the sky” by the people across the state who were not aware of the events in Chinchaga area.
5. “Summer of Fire”, Yellowstone – 1988
The breakout of the wildfire in the worldwide recognized national park happened in the summer of 1988. The heat and wind combined with dry grass created the effect of the lighter, and spread the flames throughout the 2 million acres of the park. Covered highly by the media, the fire was contained by the huge number of firefighters & military forces combined. Luckily, no lives were lost.
4. Taylor Complex Fire – 2004
This fire have spread over Alaska’s Taylor Complex in two weeks. The area that was under searing flames was more than 1,300,000 acres. Forests suffered the most during this fire; over 70% of the area that was caught by the fire was covered with forests. The year of 2004 was the worst for Alaska, since alongside this fire, three more fires burned the territory.
3. Murphy Complex Fire – 2007
A huge area in Nevada was covered in flames in 2007; Murphy Complex Fire destroyed more than 650,000 acres of land, on which were several dozens of buildings, homes, and objects. The spreading lasted for 3 days, and suppressing lasted for two weeks, because of the strong winds that increased the spreading heat. Aerial crews were the most successful in suppressing the fire.
2. California Wildfires – 2008
The outbreak of wildfires in California is getting stronger every season. 2008 was the most dangerous with more than 3,500 fires in the area. Large portions of forests and land were destroyed, and 32 people lost their lives in those wildfires. Thunderstorms and global warming are the biggest factors impacting the start of these natural disasters.
1. The Richardson Fire – 2011
Canadian province of Alberta was the area that was hit by this disastrous fire. More than 1,700,000 acres of forest burned, putting down several facilities and populated areas; several evacuations and shutdowns had to be done for protection and prevention of human casualties. This is the most recent fire that spread through that much land, earning #1 on our list of 10 biggest Fires in US History. We all should know and be aware of this, and share the article with our friends; remember – with raised awareness, we can save lives.
