The fire left much of western Carlton County devastated, mostly affecting Moose Lake, Cloquet, and Kettle River. Hundreds of thousands of farm animals also perished in the fire—a huge loss for area farmers. Many local residents attempted to flee the raging flames by driving down Highway 73, south of the Kettle River. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. The fire, known as the Cloquet-Moose Lake fire because that is where the damage was worst, began at rail lines near Sturgeon Lake. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. ©2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. (source: inciweb.org), Sources: Minnesota DNR, BWCAWiki, Star-Tribune.com, Largest Forest Fires in Minnesota History, Drought, sparks from trains, small brush fires. Minnesota COVID Survivor Goes Home After 208 Days Of Hospitalization, Charges: Self-Described ‘Boogaloo Bois’ Member Fired AK-47-Style Weapon Into MPD’s 3rd Precinct During May 28 Unrest, Uptown Minneapolis Apple Store To Close Permanently, Sartell Family's COVID Cases Expose Glitch In State's Contact Tracing Efforts, Fatal Crash Between Semi, Passenger Car Closes Eastbound Hwy 36 In Lake Elmo, Truck Driver Who Drove Into George Floyd Protest Charged With Threats Of Violence, Anoka-Hennepin To Shift Middle And High School Students To Distance Learning, Smoky Odor Prompts Delta Flight Bound For Mpls. In 2006, Gore had starred in the Academy ...read more, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard dies after a vicious attack by two anti-gay bigots. The fire burned at least 1,500 square miles. About 70% of Minnesota is covered by forest land. READ MORE: Native Americans Used Fire to Protect and Cultivate Land, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fire-rages-in-minnesota. Lee was born to Henry Lee and Ann Carter Lee at Stratford Hall, Virginia, in 1807. They also tended to leave these scraps lying around the rail lines that carried wood from the lumber mills. Wildfires Tracked by Minnesota DNR This layer shows the locations of wildfires for which the DNR was the primary responding agency. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The area’s timber industry used crude slash methods in the thick forests, leaving behind dry scraps that were perfect kindling for wildfires. With his oversized glasses, bowl haircut and down vest, he was an unlikely fashion icon, ...read more, On October 12, 2007, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to increase public knowledge about man-made climate change. Cloquet was hit the hardest by the fires. A massive forest fire rages through Minnesota on October 12, 1918, killing hundreds of people and leaving thousands homeless. Highway 1 Open Near Ely; Fire 90 Percent Contained Highway 1 near Ely is reopened, as officials continue to mop up hot spots around a forest fire. Red Lake Fire – 994,000 acres. The Bavarian royalty invited the citizens of Munich to attend the festivities, held on the fields in front of the city gates. The blasts, the work of militant Islamist terrorists, left 202 people dead and more than 200 others injured, many with severe burns. In the Moose Lake area, more than 200 people died when the fire came up quickly on the community. Making matters even worse, the months leading up to October 1918 were very hot and dry. The following is a listing of the largest forest fires beginning in the 18th century. All Rights Reserved. Interactive real-time wildfire and forest fire map for Minnesota. A massive forest fire rages through Minnesota on October 12, 1918, killing hundreds of people and leaving thousands homeless. The most devastating fire in Minnesota history burned 1,500 square miles,... 3. Forty six sailors are injured in a race riot involving more than 100 sailors on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk en route to her station in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam.