Oct
17
11:56 AM
Photos: Fire in the USA in 21 images
The fire took a breath and now we’ve got our feet on the
throat of it. And we’re going to keep choking it out.
- Fire Commander, Fault Lines, "Chasing Fire"
In this week's episode of Fault Lines, the Fault Lines team follows the 2013 wildfire season, heading west to chase the flames as they spread. But the history of America's fires and firefighting has existed throughout centuries, constantly changing as communities grow, climates fluxate, and as new technologies are devleoped and new policies are set. These are portraits of a poriton of that history. See the rest of the collection below:
Photograph of a Fire Partially Under Control After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
The U.S. National Archives
Bunk houses burning at Dontan and Hendersons Mill at Pablo, Montana.
The U.S. National Archives
Ruins of Richmond Virginia. During the Civil War, as the fall of Petersburg became imminent,President Davis, his Cabinet, and the Confederate defenders abandoned Richmond, fled south and to set fire to the cities bridges, armory, and warehouses with supplies as they left to prevent Union Troops from benefiting from taking the city. Union troops put out the raging fires in the city. The event became known as the Evacuation Fire of 1865.
U.S. National Archives’, Photographer: Brady, Mathew, 1823 (ca.) - 1896
St. Francis Hotel, Fairmount Hotel in distance showing clean sweep of fire in business section of all except class A steel frame buildings, after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
The U.S. National Archives
Firefighters at a forest fire near Shoshone Point. Shows Army Surplus pumpers and trucks. May 10, 1947
U.S. National Park Service, Photographer: Eden
Aftermath of the 1910 Fires, St. Joe National Forest Shoshone County, ID, 1910. Mouth of the tunnel on Placer Creek where fire fighters died.
Forest Service Northern Region, Photographer: J.B. Halm
The Barney Pasture Fire in 1946. The cliffs in the foreground are the west wall of Oak Creek Canyon. The San Francisco Peaks are in the right background.
USDA Forest Service, Coconino National Forest, Photographer: O. B. Noonan.
Woman surveys damage after fire at Knott's Berry.
Photo courtesy Orange County Archives
After a large brush fire was extinguished, a grateful farmer handed out locally made German-style beer.
U.S. National Archives, Photographer: Bruce Bisping
In August, 1973 a major forest fire swept through 17,470 acres of the western slopes of the Sierra Mountain Range near Sonora. Trees still burn on fringe of cleared area. This part of the burn area is called "granite fire,"
U.S. National Archives’, Photographer: O'Rear, Charles
The "cats" haul logs of fire-damaged trees to "landing" where they are loaded onto trucks for transporting out of the area, September 1973, Yosemite National Park
U.S. National Archives, Photographer: O'Rear, Charles
In August, 1973 a major forest fire swept through 17,470 acres of the western slopes of the Sierra Mountain Range near Sonora 5,880 acres (a third of the affected area) are owned by the Pickering Lumber Company of Standard, California Salvage operations were started as soon as area could be entered. Pickering forester Joe Dillard cuts burned bark to expose unharmed wood of white fir tree, September 1973
U.S. National Archive, Photographer: O'Rear, Charles, 1941-
In August, 1973 a major forest fire swept through 17,470 acres of the western slopes of the Sierra Mountain Range near Sonora. Fire-fighter in part of the burn area called "granite fire,", September 1973
U.S. National Archives, Photographer: O'Rear, Charles
Infra-red aerial of burn area shows extensive damage to vegetation.
U.S. National Archives, Photographer: O'Rear, Charles, 1941-
Smokey Bear demonstrates the safe way to camp out and "Prevent Forest Fires."
Forest fire in the Everglades, Collier County. Some reports claim that the drainage canals, permitted for further land development, cause dangerous drying of foliage. Fires are also set it is reported, to clear land quickly.
U.S. National Archives, Photographer: Schulke, Flip, 1930-2008
Firefighters await the arrival of President George W. Bush Friday, Sept. 14, 2001, to Port Authority in New York City.
Courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, Photographer: Paul Morse
Southern Plains and Comanche Type 2 Initial Attack Crews and an Engine Crew work together to extinguish underground smoldering fires in roots or buried tree limbs, using a variety of hand tools and fire suppressing foam, during the Beaver Creek Fire, west of Hailey, ID, on Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013.
USDA, Photographer: Lance Cheung
Two members of the Idaho City Hotshots work on the Springs Fire on the Boise National Forest, August, 2012. Hotshot crews are the best of the best of wildland fire fighters. They have been extensively trained to fight fires in remote areas with little or no logistical support in the most demanding conditions.
US Forest Service, Photographer: Kari Greer
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