Small embers from slash and burn agriculture were caught up in drafts from unusually high winds during a period of extremely dry drought-like conditions.
Map
Two pieces of lumber that survived the fire
The Peshtigo fire was a large forest fire on October 8, 1871, in northeastern Wisconsin, United States, including much of the southern half of the Door Peninsula and adjacent parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The largest community in the affected area was Peshtigo, Wisconsin, which had a population of approximately 1,700 residents. The fire burned about 1.2 million acres and is the deadliest wildfire in recorded history,[1] with the number of deaths estimated between 1,500[1] and 2,500.[2] Although the exact number of deaths is debated, mass graves, both those already exhumed and those still being discovered, in Peshtigo and the surrounding areas show that the death toll of the blaze was most likely greater than the 1889 Johnstown flood[3] death toll of 2,200 people or more.[4]
Occurring on the same day as the more famous Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo fire has been largely forgotten, even though it killed five times as many people.[5][6] "Everybody's heard about the Chicago fire, and that got all the publicity at the time," said a volunteer at the Peshtigo Fire Museum, named Ruth Wiltzius, whose great-grandfather perished while trying to escape. "Peshtigo was a backwards lumber town then—who had ever heard of it? Chicago was the big city. Which one was going to get more attention?"[3]
Nonetheless, several cities in Michigan, including Holland and Manistee (across Lake Michigan from Peshtigo) and Port Huron (at the southern end of Lake Huron), also had major fires on the same day. These fires, along with many other fires of the 19th century had the same basic causes: small fires coupled with unusually dry weather.[7][8]
^ abBiondich, S. (June 9, 2010). "The Great Peshtigo Fire". Shepherd Express. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
^Knickelbine, Scott (2012). The Great Peshtigo Fire: Stories and Science from America's Deadliest Fire. Wisconsin Historical Society Press. ISBN 978-0870206023.
^ abCite error: The named reference sun was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Johnstown Flood: Frequently Asked Questions". National Park Service. October 4, 2018.
^John Steele Gordon (April–May 2003). "Forgotten Fury". American Heritage. 55 (4).
^Cite error: The named reference NRHP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"History of the Peshtigo fire, October 8, 1871". The Peshtigo Times. October 6, 1921. Archived from the original on May 2, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2023 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
The Peshtigofire was a large forest fire on October 8, 1871, in northeastern Wisconsin, United States, including much of the southern half of the Door...
055867; -87.753372 The PeshtigoFire Museum preserves the heritage of the PeshtigoFire, which destroyed the city of Peshtigo, Wisconsin and surrounding...
Great Chicago Fire, the PeshtigoFire and the Port Huron Fire; some believe lightning or even meteor showers may have started the fires. Several cities...
represents the Great Chicago fire with one of the four red stars present on the flag. Chicago portal Peshtigofire – a lesser-known fire that occurred on the...
from the original on 2013-11-27. Biondich, S. (2010-06-09). "The Great PeshtigoFire". Shepherd Express. Retrieved 2011-11-09. "Marian apparition in US declared...
the PeshtigoFire also occurred on the same day. At least 50 people died as a result of the Port Huron Fire, and at least 200 from all the fires in the...
have been proposed. During the 1871 Peshtigofire, the community of Williamsonville, Wisconsin, was burned by a fire whirl; the area where Williamsonville...
the Great PeshtigoFire are possible examples of forest fires with some portion of combustion due to a firestorm, as is the Great Hinckley Fire. Firestorms...
The PeshtigoFire Cemetery is a cemetery in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. The cemetery is the burial location of the charred remains of victims of the Peshtigo Fire...
Wisconsin, and Minnesota. As Catholic pastor of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, he survived the Peshtigofire on October 8–9, 1871. His survivor's memoir, written...
This article is a list of notable fires. This is a partial list of fire due to mining: human-made structures to extract minerals, ores, rock, petroleum...
is also the third-deadliest wildfire in recorded history, behind the Peshtigofire of 1871 and a 1936 wildfire that occurred in Kursha-2. In total, 453...
the dead or missing. Baudette fire of 1910 Cloquet fire of 1918 Lahaina Fire of 2023 PeshtigoFire of 1871 Thumb Fire of 1881 Haines, Donald A.; Sando...
of the fire. News of the historical destruction spread slowly. People soon learned of the PeshtigoFire in addition to the Great Chicago Fire, as well...
McMurray Fire". Academia.edu. Academia. Retrieved 1 December 2017. Hipke, Deana C. "The Great PeshtigoFire of 1871". The Great PeshtigoFire of 1871....
PeshtigoFire swept through Wisconsin, killing more than 1,200 people. The Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 in California and especially the Great Fire of...
The Peshtigo River (/ˈpɛʃtɪɡoʊ/ PESH-ti-go) is a 136-mile-long (219 km) tributary of Green Bay in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The PeshtigoFire happened...
uncontrollable and destructive conflagrations such as the PeshtigoFire in 1871 and the Great Fire of 1910. In the 1960s, policies governing wildfire suppression...
List of Michigan wildfires PeshtigoFire Great Chicago Fire Great Michigan Fire of 1871 Great Hinckley Fire "The Great Fire of 1881: How the Thumb survived"...
other fire victims, such as the mass memorial to unknown victims of the 1871 Peshtigofire, which caused the greatest loss of life of any fire in the...
Commerce, NOAA. "The PeshtigoFire". www.weather.gov. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2021-04-25. "Massive fire burns in Wisconsin"...
listed on the National Fire Protection Association website each year, including the annual theme. 1871 Great Chicago FirePeshtigoFire An internal document...
phenomenon, created during some of the largest bush fires, forest fires, and wildfires. The PeshtigoFire is one example of a firestorm. Firestorms can also...
political figure there Peter Pernin – Survivor and memoirist of the Peshtigofire Wolfgang Rösch – Vicar general of Limburg Jean-Baptiste de La Salle...
A conflagration is a large fire. Conflagrations often damage human life, animal life, health, and/or property. A conflagration can begin accidentally or...
2012. Retrieved October 16, 2017. Rogers, Paul (November 22, 2018). "Camp Fire is deadliest U.S. wildfire in 100 years; eerily similar to 1918 inferno that...
October 8 and died out the following night. About 250 dead. 1871 – PeshtigoFire of 1871, several towns destroyed in a firestorm that reached Michigan...
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