The 1918 Cloquet fire was a massive fire in northern Minnesota in October, 1918, caused by sparks on the local railroads and dry conditions. The fire left much of western Carlton County devastated, mostly affecting Moose Lake, Cloquet, and Kettle River. Cloquet was hit the hardest by the fires. It was the worst natural disaster in Minnesota history in terms of the number of lives lost in a single day. In total, 453 lives were lost and 52,000 people were injured or displaced, 38 communities were destroyed, 250,000 acres (1,000 km2) were burned, and $73 million in property damage was suffered. $13 million in Federal aid was disbursed.
Read more about 1918 Cloquet Fire: Region Overview, The Fire, Damage and Fatalities, Relief Operations, Recovery, Memorials
Famous quotes containing the word fire:
“It isn’t necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice—there are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia.”
—Frank Zappa (1940–1993)