Forest Devastation 27 



is little left of the original forest. It is then ready to be 

 resown by birch and poplar, and the slow process of forest 

 formation begins afresh. 



The one thing that will stop a big fire in a dry summer 

 is green hardwood. The broad-leaved trees form a much 

 denser shade and the ground does not become so dry. The 

 leaves themselves are not resinous and do not readily 

 burn while green, and the undergrowth does not allow the 

 breeze to blow as freely as in the more open ''pinery." 

 Fire will run in the hardwood in early spring before the 

 leaves are out on the trees, but is easily stopped and usually 

 does little harm. 



Some of the historic fires of this continent may be men- 

 tioned to show the damage which may be done, but it is 

 well to remember that so far as destruction of property goes 

 the small fires have done many times as much harm. 



The worst fire in the history of the continent was 

 what is known as the Peshtigo fire, around Green Bay, 

 Wisconsin. It destroyed more than $3,000,000 worth of 

 property, left more than 2000 families homeless and cost 

 some 1500 human lives. This fire occurred in October, 

 1871, the same month and year as the great Chicago fire. 



The next greatest fire, so far as loss of life is concerned, 

 but not for property loss, was the Hinckley fire in 1894. 

 This was in Minnesota, southwest of Duluth. Some 

 418 persons lost their lives, 233 of them belonging to the 

 village of Hinckley. 



In 1 88 1, the great Michigan fires about Saginaw, in 

 Huron and Sanilac counties, swept about 1800 square 



