History
How did we get here?
The history of humanity's relationship with fire is as telling as it is cautionary. How we've worked with fire can inform our perspective and action with wildfire today.
If you don't know where you've come from, you don't know where you're going.
- Maya Angelou
Below are selected dates that help explain how our relationship with fire in North America developed. If you think there's an event or date that's missing please send a message.
Facing Fire History
Miramichi Fire
The Miramichi fire announces the wave of settlement fires that will cross North America.
Great Lakes and US-Canada Border
Major conflagrations around the Great Lakes and along the US-Canada border.
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 this on our watch ever again.”
Accessed September 19th 2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_1910
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 for about 90 per cent of the non-reserved commercial forest land, the federal government controls roughly 2 per cent (this includes First Nations reserves, military bases and national parks), and private owners oversee the remaining 8 per cent.”
Accessed September 24th 2019 https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/forestry
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 aided by the development of new technologies, such as airplanes, smokejumpers, and fire suppression chemicals. With such tools, fires could be fought anywhere—and were.”
Accessed September 20th 2019 Forest History
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.
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 creative agency FCB, employ Smokey Bear to educate the public about the dangers of unplanned human-caused wildfires.”
Accessed September 19th 2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokey_Bear
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.
Revolution in US Fire Policy to restore fire in the landscape
