"Known as the Big Blowup, the 1910 fires helped birth the Forest Service, but so far, climate change and the burning West have spurred little action."
"As vast and fast wildfires continue to spread almost unprecedented destruction across America's three Pacific states, fire scientists, meteorologists and journalists have begun comparing the conflagrations to one firestorm 110 years ago.
"Nationally, this is probably the biggest wildfire event since the Big Blowup of 1910," Nick Nauslar, a meteorologist with the National Interagency Fire Center, told the Washington Post, "and it rivals the past fire season in Australia."
Stuart Palley, a photographer who specializes in covering California wildfires, tweeted: "I agree with other fire reporters and behavior analysts that this event will exceed the Big Blowup Of 1910 in terms of severity and acreage. Seen a lot of fire but surreal to witness this."
The story of the Big Blowup is as iconic to the founding of the U.S. Forest Service as Paul Revere's ride is to the birth of the nation. "
Michael Kodas reports for InsideClimate News September 11, 2020.
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