Scientists say melting Arctic ice causes autumn forest fires.
Study draws link between melting Arctic ice and Western U.S. fires that flare in the fall
Arctic sea ice extent is just below the 1981-2010 mean, the highest in ten years and second highest in the last seventeen years.
osisaf_nh_sie_daily-2years.png (1274×943)
There is no trend in Arctic sea ice extent over the past fifteen years.
ftp://osisaf.met.no/prod_test/ice/index/v2p1/nh/osisaf_nh_sie_daily.txt
Fire burn acreage this year was 64% of the average since 1926.
fireInfo_stats_totalFires.html
In 1935 the autumn forest fire season was defined as being from October 15 to December 15.
18 Oct 1935, Page 2 – The Daily Notes at Newspapers.com
“From October 13 to October 27 (1947) firefighters tried to fight 200 Maine fires, consuming a quarter of a million acres of forest and wiping out nine entire towns. The Maine fires destroyed 851 homes and 397 seasonal cottages, leaving 2,500 people homeless. The year 1947 became known as the Year Maine Burned.”
The Year a State Burned: Maine Fires of 1947 Wipe Out 9 Towns – New England Historical Society
The largest autumn forest fires in the US occurred in 1898 and 1871.
“Reports from the western portion of Colorado continue to tell of the ravages of the forest fires which bid fair to devastate the greater part of the forests of the state.”
The Colorado Daily Chieftain October 1, 1898 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
Fort Collins Courier October 6, 1898 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
Herald Democrat October 2, 1898 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
TimesMachine: September 30, 1898 – NYTimes.com
TimesMachine: October 3, 1898 – NYTimes.com
The Colorado Transcript November 9, 1898 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
On October 7, 1871 much of Minnesota and Wisconsin were burning.
07 Oct 1871, 1 – Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com
The following day was the worst fires in US history, with Chicago burning to the ground, and many other towns around the Great Lakes in flames.
11 Oct 1871, 1 – Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com
There were massive fires in Wisconsin, Michigan and the Rocky Mountains.
14 Oct 1871, Page 2 – Harrisburg Telegraph at Newspapers.com
The worst of these fires occurred at Peshtigo, Wisconsin, where more than one thousand people burned to death.
The Great Midwest Wildfires of 1871
Canada’s largest forest fire occurred during the autumn of 1825
01 Oct 1908, Page 1 – Cameron County Press at Newspapers.com
