From its earliest days, the Forest Service has been forced to deal with devastating forest fires. Several of these fires have had a direct impact on national forest fire policy. In 1910, the agency faced a calamitous series of forest fires in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. These incredibly damaging fires, sometimes referred to as the "Big Blowup" of 1910, pushed issues related to forest fires into the public discourse, and led to new USFS fire prevention and suppression policies.

The Mann Gulch fire of 1949 on the Helena National Forest in Montana also greatly influenced fire policy within the Forest Service. This devastating fire claimed the lives of thirteen smokejumpers, and led to the establishment of two new USFS facilities, one in Montana and another in California, dedicated to developing and testing firefighting equipment.

Additional Pages:

The Great Fires of 1910

Mann Gulch Fire, 1949