The Big Blow Up of 1910

Hello, hello! Today we would like to talk about an event that is viewed as a pivotal moment in fire management (as well as Forest Service) history – the “Big Blow Up” (August 20-21, 1910). While this wasn’t in Pennsylvania, it was still an event that really shaped the wildland fire program in general.

Friend or foe?

Instrument of destruction or renewal?

Natural cycle or unwelcome force?

Over our history, the perception of wildfire here in America has swung from one extreme to another. Before the settlers came, the Indigenous people used fire, intentionally, to their benefit. Fire helped them manage wildlife habitats and with their agriculture among many of the typical uses. These fires, along with the naturally occurring ones, helped further control the fuel loading in the forest and helped fire-adapted ecosystems thrive. Of course, as the country became more settled, the folks living in those settlements began to see fire as a threat to homes, livelihoods, and lives – thus fire needed to be tamed (much like the West).

A drought-filled year already, 1910 was set to be a devastating year. In August hundreds of small fires were burning across the Northern Rockies of Idaho and Montana and the Forest Service had deployed 4000 troops to supplement the thousands of civilian firefighters already fighting these fires. August 20 brought hurricane-force winds into the virgin forest area, as they blasted through embers, and low flames were impelled into an inferno no one was prepared for. As Forester Edward Stahl described the flames that were, “fanned by a tornado wind so violent that the flames flattened out ahead, swooping to earth in great darting curves, truly a veritable red demon from hell.”

In just a few hours the fires became firestorms and trees became “exploding candles.” More trees were sucked up from the ground – roots and all – and were basically flying torches. Fireballs were reported to leap canyons half a mile wide, while entire mountainsides ignited in what seemed to be an instant.

During the two days that the great blow-up roared, more than 3 million acres burned, and enough timber was killed to fill a freight train 2,400 miles long (less than 10 percent of that was salvaged) – yes, in just two DAYS, not over a course of two WEEKS or two MONTHS. By noon on the twenty-first, daylight was dark as far north as Saskatoon, Canada, as far south as Denver, and as far east as Watertown, New York. Smoke reached New England, soot floated to Greenland, small communities were demolished, and more than 85 lives were lost. This event left lasting opinions about how forests and wildfires should be managed.

According to the National Forest Foundation “Fire suppression policy reached its extreme in 1935 with the 10 a.m. rule—mandating that any fire spotted in a given day must be controlled by 10 o’clock the following morning.” This policy was, effective, however, the extreme suppression of fires led to a large build-up of dried-out fuels and more dense but less diverse forests. All of this makes for a perfect place for a catastrophic blaze to take place. “Add in a changing climate—with longer, hotter, drier summers—and it’s clear that the “fight at all costs” approach to wildfire couldn’t be sustained” (National Forest Foundation).

“Recent decades have seen some of the worst fire seasons on record and astronomical firefighting budgets, but also a more tempered attitude about dealing with fire. In the early 1990s, Forest Service Chief Jack Ward Thomas backed away from the blanket fire suppression strategy, declaring that some fires should be fought, but others allowed to burn. “Fire is neither good nor bad,” Thomas said. “It just is” (National Forest Foundation).

This is why we have things like prescribed burning (to help safely reduce the number of fuels, and control invasive species while encouraging new native growth), community engagement to help homes be more fire-wise (both within the home and outside the home), and why we keep learning more through fire science.

“Humans are a uniquely fire creature on a uniquely fire planet, so fire has a lot to say about the character of each,” Stephen Pyne said in a 1994 interview. “Fire history shows people—humanity at large—facing questions and making choices about who they are and how they should behave."

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There are more stories and more detailed information about the Big Blow Up on the National Forest Foundation’s website (click here if you want to read more), but I want to pull this excerpt from Edward C. Pulaski and include it here:

Excerpts courtesy of U.S. Forest Service Northern Region Archives

Edward C. Pulaski

Forest ranger, Coeur d’Alene National Forest

Note: Edward Pulaski earned legend status during the blowup of 1910 when he led his men to safety and held them there in an abandoned mine shaft while the fire passed. Today, many will recognize his name in association with the axe-like “Pulaski” tool he invented for digging and chopping—often used on fire lines.

The whole world seemed to us men back in those mountains to be aflame. Many thought that it really was the end of the world. Under such conditions, it would have been worse than foolhardy to attempt to fight the fires. It was a case of saving our lives. I got on my horse and went where I could, gathering men. Most of them were unfamiliar with the country, and I knew that if they ever got out they would have to be led out … I finally collected forty-five men … Had it not been for my familiarity with the mountain trails, we would never have come out alive, for we were completely surrounded by raging, whipping fire.

My only hope was to reach an old mine tunnel which I knew to be not far from us.

Photo of the mouth of the tunnel, taken in 1910.

We raced for it. On the way, one man was killed by a falling tree. We reached the mine just in time, for we were hardly in when the fire swept over our trail.

The men were in a panic of fear, some crying, some praying. Many of them soon became unconscious from the terrible heat, smoke, and fire gas. The wet blankets actually caught fire and I had to replace them with others soaked in water. But I, too, finally sank down unconscious. I do not know how long I was in this condition, but it must have been for hours. I remember hearing a man say, “Come outside, boys, the boss is dead.” I replied, “Like hell he is.”

We counted our number. Five were missing … As the air outside became clearer, we gained strength and finally were able to stagger to our feet and start toward Wallace. When walking failed us, we crawled on hands and knees.

How we got down I hardly know. We were in terrible condition, all of us hurt or burned. I was blind and my hands were burned from trying to keep the fire out of the mine. Our shoes were burned off our feet and our clothing was in parched rags … My experience left me with poor eyes, weak lungs, and throat; but, thank God, I am not now blind."

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There are plenty of photos that accompany this event, here is a link to a gallery that has quite a few. Click here for that.

There is also a trail in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest near Wallace, Idaho that takes you along Pulaski’s route to save his men, where you can get a view of the tunnel where they hunkered down. Click here for an AllTrails synopsis and map of the trail.