Official websites use .gov
A .gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the
United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock
(
) or https:// means you've safely
connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only
on official, secure websites.
1910 Fires: Events & Links
A Special Thank You to all those who attended events across the region commemorating The 1910 Fires. The following is a recap of those events.
Event Summary - Washington
October 24-29, 2010, Spokane WA - International Association of Wildland Fire Conference. 3rd Fire Behavior and Fuels conference; "Beyond Fire Behavior and Fuels: Learning from the Past to Help Guide Us in the Future". For more information: http://iawfonline.org/spokane2010/
Event Summary - Idaho
Photographs and Archived Idaho Events:
Photos for all events can be viewed at our Flickr site.
Friday, August 20, 2010: Rededication of 1910 Firefighters Graves, Woodlawn Cemetery, St. Maries, ID
A mid-afternoon solemn dedication honoring the lives lost in the during The Big Blowup. Woodlawn Cemetery is the final resting place for 58 men who perished, many of whom remain unidentified. The site is rededicated to honor all fallen firefighters, and their heroic efforts past, present and future.
Saturday, August 21, 2010: 1910 Firefighter Ceremony: Avery Citizens Committee, Avery, ID
Avery, ID is a community that was at the center of The Blowup, yet survived and still exists today. In 1910 it was a thriving town, serving as a major stop on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway and surrounded by logging activity. The community of Avery shared its depth of history with about 400 – 500 people, who enjoyed the activities presented throughout the day.
Saturday, August 21, 2010: 1910 Firefighter Memorial Dedication, Wallace, ID
Starting off early Saturday morning a procession through the Silver Valley honored and remembered all of those who perished in the Silver Valley and surrounding region during the catastrophic fires of 1910. Following this procession, a new firefighter memorial complete with interpretive signs was dedicated at the Wallace Visitor’s Center. This memorial was coupled with the restoration of the firefighter gravesites at Nine Mile Cemetery and the Pulaski Tunnel Trail.
Event Summary - Montana
Photographs and Archived Montana Events:
Photos for all events can be viewed our Flickr site.
Saturday, August 21, 2010: Rededication of Memorial Grove, Haugan, MT
Historic Savenac Nursery in Haugan, MT rededicated a grove of trees planted in 1938 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to honor the Forest Service employees who died fighting the fires of 1910. In addition, a new memorial plaque was unveiled which honors the courage and sacrifice so many made in 1910.
Saturday, August 21, 2010: Community Events and Dedication of Swamp Creek Fire Memorial, Trout Creek, MT
The Sanders County Historical Society, working together with the US Forest Service, hosted a day of community activities to commemorate the men and women who experienced the fires of 1910. Day-long activities coalesced with the dedication of a new fire memorial to honor the four firefighters of Roy Engle’s crew who died fighting the Tuscor fire, and to all the men who died fighting the Fires of 1910.
Saturday, August 22, 2010: Missoula, MT (2 events)
Historical Presentation: The Life of a Buffalo Soldier
The 25th Infantry Regiment of Buffalo Soldiers garrisoned at Ft. Missoula during the time of the Fires of 1910 played a prominent role in saving the towns of Avery and Wallace, ID. Companies I and G were assigned to these two rural towns and performed a multitude of invaluable tasks. In Wallace, Company I was instrumental in keeping order when The Fires descended on town and the company assisted in evacuating women and children on outbound trains.
In Avery, ID Company G was instrumental in organizing evacuations, maintaining order and assisting in backfiring operations which were crucial in saving the town. It is recorded that Lieutenant Edson E. Lewis took an active role in decisions to evacuate and protect Avery, ID.
In the aftermath of the fires the Buffalo Soldiers were dispatched to retrieve bodies in nearby areas. The combined acts of the Buffalo Soldiers helped to save countless lives in the Fires of 1910. This Missoula 1910 Commemoration event honored the lives lost in the Fires of 1910 and shared the rich history of the Buffalo Soldiers.
Fire on the Land: Culture, History and Science of Fire in the Northern Rockies
An open presentation highlighting the history, culture and science of fire in the Northern Rockies from the perspective of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The event commenced in the new Payne Family Native American Center on the University of Montana campus followed by a engaging presentation by speakers from the Salish Kootenai and Pend d’Oreille Culture Committee.
On-going Exhibits
Museum of North Idaho, 115 N.W. Blvd, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: "When the Fires Roared" Museum web:
Links
Click on the links below to see other web sites dedicated to the 1910 Fire Commemoration. Many of these links will take you out of this web site and into our partner organizations. If you would like to add an informational link here, please contact us.
Memorial List of all Forest Service firefighters killed in the line of Duty: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/fire/heros.shtml
The Wildland Firefighters Foundation, Forest Service partner. Web site includes memorial information. http://www.wffoundation.org
Informal web site regarding the Great 1910 1910 Fire of Idaho, Montana, and Washington http://www.1910fire.com
Pulaski Tunnel website - http://www.idahoforests.org/pulaski.htm
1919 Fire-related articles from Evergreen Magazine at http://www.idahoforests.org/fires.htm