In October of 1918 a very strong forest fire burned up a large portion of Northern Minnesota. At the time of the fire my Grandpa Arvid was around 5 years old. Although it’s called the Cloquet fire it was actually about 50 fires combined into a single event. The two major fires were the Cloquet-Duluth fire and the Moose Lake fire. Dry conditions, strong winds, and lumbering are 3 reasons why the fire was so out of control. Conditions were building for months. The summer of 1918 was extremely dry, and logging created many spots of dry waste wood. Contrary to law locomotive spewed embers and sparks that most likely started some of these fires. The Cloquet Duluth fire began on October 10 around noon. It was at milepost 62 northwest of Cloquet when a locomotive set a small fire. It smoldered for two days until strong winds and a
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The fires front which was ten miles wide was pushed at 20 miles per hour when winds rose to hurricane force. The fire reached the northeastern corner of Duluth it burned a country club, and a train depot but never reached the actual city. The reached it limit at Lake Superior after burning 800 square miles. The Moose Lake fire which was five fires combined began on October 4th around railroad tracks in Aitkin county. It smoldered for 8 days until strong winds and a humidity drop came in from the cold front. It went southeast towards the towns of Moose Lake and Kettle River, combining with other fires along the way. When the fire reached Kettle River people fled. Some fled by car, but a accident at a curve in the road called Dead Man’s curve stopped traffic. Citizens had to run but they could not outrun the fire. Many people saved themselves by going into body’s of water or open fields but many died from suffocation. The Moose Lake fire consumed over 400 miles and was responsible for over half of the deaths from all the fires. “Cloquet, Duluth, and Moose Lake Fires, 1918.
The fires front which was ten miles wide was pushed at 20 miles per hour when winds rose to hurricane force. The fire reached the northeastern corner of Duluth it burned a country club, and a train depot but never reached the actual city. The reached it limit at Lake Superior after burning 800 square miles. The Moose Lake fire which was five fires combined began on October 4th around railroad tracks in Aitkin county. It smoldered for 8 days until strong winds and a humidity drop came in from the cold front. It went southeast towards the towns of Moose Lake and Kettle River, combining with other fires along the way. When the fire reached Kettle River people fled. Some fled by car, but a accident at a curve in the road called Dead Man’s curve stopped traffic. Citizens had to run but they could not outrun the fire. Many people saved themselves by going into body’s of water or open fields but many died from suffocation. The Moose Lake fire consumed over 400 miles and was responsible for over half of the deaths from all the fires. “Cloquet, Duluth, and Moose Lake Fires, 1918.