Cool Timeline

1962
Revolution in US Fire Policy to restore fire in the landscape
Revolution in US Fire Policy to restore fire in the landscape
1945
Militarization of Wildfire Fighting Post WWII
Militarization of Wildfire Fighting Post WWII

After WWII wildfire fighting was militarized. Command structures and surplus equipment from the war were adopted in North America. The "fighting fire" mentality was reinforced leading to a mindset of being able to "win the war" with fire.

1944
Smokey Bear first poster appearance
Smokey Bear first poster appearance

Smokey Bear appears as the advertising icon created by the US Forest Service. "In the Wildfire Prevention Campaign, which is the longest-running public service announcement campaign in United States history, the Ad Council, the United States Forest Service (USFS), and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), in partnership with

1943
Wildfire associated with the Axis WW II
Wildfire associated with the Axis WW II

During WWII the US Forest Service and other US Governmental Departments developed WWII propaganda posters likening wildfires to the Axis. These posters helped further demonize wildfire.

1935
10 am Policy Adopted by US Forest Service
10 am Policy Adopted by US Forest Service

"In 1935, the Forest Service established the so-called 10 a.m. policy, which decreed that every fire should be suppressed by 10 a.m. the day following its initial report. Other federal land management agencies quickly followed suit and joined the campaign to eliminate fire from the landscape. Fire suppression efforts were

1930
Canadian Forest Service Loses Land Base
Canadian Forest Service Loses Land Base

Canadian Forest Service loses land base and becomes a research organization "Until 1930, the federal government retained authority over the forests of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and the 64 km-wide railway belt along the route of the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia. Today, provincial and territorial governments are responsible

1910
The Big Blow Up
The Big Blow Up

The Big Blow Up was a " wildfire in the western United States that burned three million acres (4,700 sq mi; 12,100 km2) in North Idaho and Western Montana, with extensions into Eastern Washington and Southeast British Columbia." The event galvanized US fire policy with the intent to "never have another fire like

1871
Great Lakes and US-Canada Border
Great Lakes and US-Canada Border

Major conflagrations around the Great Lakes and along the US-Canada border.  

1825
Miramichi Fire
Miramichi Fire

The Miramichi fire announces the wave of settlement fires that will cross North America.

1000
Vegetation Evolves on Earth and with it Fire

Until the advent of vegetation wildfire didn't exist. There was oxygen and elements that provided fuel but not actual vegetation. Hard to believe but there was a time without wildfire. Once vegetation existed wildfire helped plants to evolve. Plants in turn used fire to renew, replace and regenerate though co-evolution.