I am sharing this great video produced by the USFS Northern Region. According to the USFS Audio-Visual website description: The fires of 1910 touched individuals, families, firefighters, army personnel, communities and people worldwide. To many residents of our communities within the fires impact area, the 1910 fires are still a current topic of discussion each summer when smoke is in the air.
Many programs in the US Forest Service evolved from the 1910 fires and their aftermath. One can say this event was the young Forest Service's "trial by fire" that led to the solidifying support of the agency during its turbulent beginning.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the "Big Burn," the US Forest Service in cooperation with state and local partners and several Montana and Idaho communities held a weekend of commemorative events August 20-22, 2010.
The Fires of 1910: Heroes. Heritage. Renewal. is the theme for respectfully honoring the firefighters and civilians who died, the communities burned and rebuilt and the reforestation and renewal of the landscapes across eight million acres of Montana and Idaho. This 20 minute Forest Service video highlights the commemorative events held in St. Maries, Idaho; Wallace, Idaho; Haugan, Montana; and Missoula, Montana.