The Yacolt Burn is the collective name for dozens of fires in Washington state and Oregon occurring between September 8 and September 12, 1902,[1] causing 38 deaths in the Lewis River area, at least nine deaths by fire in Wind River and 18 deaths in the Columbia River Gorge.[2][3]
The Yacolt Burn (also known as the Yacolt Fire, the Yacolt Blaze, the Yacolt-Cispus Burn, or the Columbia Fire of 1902) was the result of many weather factors as well as careless humans. The summer of 1902 had been drier than normal and early September winds were blowing from east to west. A build-up of slash from loggers had not been burned off properly in the preceding two summers.[4] On September 8 a fire was started by boys trying to burn a nest of hornets near Eagle Creek, Oregon. Other large fires there occurred independently or combined with other fires started soon thereafter, including one started by a locomotive in Dodson, Oregon.[5] Other accounts cite lightning as the genesis of the fire as well as careless campers and berry pickers, hunters, and loggers cutting slash.[3][4] The fire spread rapidly, extending from Bridal Veil, Oregon to Cascade Locks, Oregon before burning debris carried across the Columbia River to Washington. The fire traveled 30 miles (48 km) in 36 hours and destroyed 238,920 acres (967 km²) of timber, about 12 billion board feet (28,000,000 m³), in Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties.
Extent of damage
Although the fire's namesake is for the town of Yacolt, Washington, that town suffered little damage from the fires.[1] The loss of all property was assessed at a 1902 value of US$12,767,100 (equivalent to $431,822,605 in 2022).[4] The property damage in Multnomah County, Oregon was estimated at more than one million dollars.[6]
The fire dropped one-half inch of ash in Portland, Oregon. The smoke was so dense that street lights glowed at noon in Seattle 160 miles (258 km) away and ships on the Columbia River were forced to navigate only by compass.[7]Yacolt, Washington was approached by the inferno close enough to blister paint on the town's 15 buildings, but the wind changed, causing the fire to veer north toward the Lewis River, where it burned itself out. At this point an estimated total of 500,000 acres of forest burned in the fire.[8]
The timber industry on the Columbia River garnered 13,590,599 board feet of shipments in October, 1902, setting a new record for production in a single month.[9]
Legislation: Yacolt Burn Rules
Immediate calls for legislation were put into action in Oregon and Washington in order to prevent fires of this scale from breaking out again. Some bills were passed into law, but they were not effective measures. In 1929, the Dole Valley fire destroyed another 153,000 acres (620 km2) of timber, and in September 2017 the Eagle Creek Fire burned nearly 50,000 acres (200 km2) in the Columbia River Gorge. The propensity for the forested uplands in this area to be repeatedly burned is due to the presence of the Columbia River Gorge, which slices through the Cascade Mountains at nearly sea level and makes the climate of the Portland Metropolitan Area relatively immoderate compared to that of Seattle. The area's wet winters cause rapid growth of lush timber, but this is followed by the intrusion of hot, dry weather in the summer from the arid Cascade Mountain rainshadow. As a result, all logging and other commercial activity in the area is regulated by very restrictive "Yacolt Burn Rules."
^ abCrutchfield, James (2008). It Happened in Washington. Guilford, CT: TWODOT. pp. 97–100. ISBN9780762745708.
^Unknown (June 7, 1931). "Governor Warns of Forest Danger". The Oregonian.
^ abAttwell, Albert (1975). Columbia River Gorge History Volume Two. Stevenson, WA: Tahlkie Books. pp. 202–203.
^ abc"Oregon and Washington Fires". The Columbia River and Oregon Timberman: 41. December 1902.
^Carr, Bill (1983). A History of the Bridal Veil Lumbering Company. United States Department of Agriculture, Pacific Northwest Region; Mt. Hood National Forest.
^Unknown (September 15, 1902). "Flames Make Ashes of Oregon and Washington Homes and One Hundred Lives May Be Death's Grim Record". San Francisco Call.
^Unknown (September 13, 1902). "Columbia Blazing on Both Sides". The Daily Journal.
^Attwell, Jim (1975). Columbia River Gorge History, Volume 2. Stevenson, WA: Tahlkie Books. p. 203.
^The Columbia River and Oregon Timberman. November 1902. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
Sources
Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Yacolt Burn State Forest Map (notes on reverse), 1991
yacolt, burn, natural, area, state, forest, collective, name, dozens, fires, washington, state, oregon, occurring, between, september, september, 1902, causing, deaths, lewis, river, area, least, nine, deaths, fire, wind, river, deaths, columbia, river, gorge,. For the natural area see Yacolt Burn State Forest The Yacolt Burn is the collective name for dozens of fires in Washington state and Oregon occurring between September 8 and September 12 1902 1 causing 38 deaths in the Lewis River area at least nine deaths by fire in Wind River and 18 deaths in the Columbia River Gorge 2 3 Yacolt BurnLocationSouthwest Washington and part of Oregon United StatesStatisticsCostUnknownDate s September 8 September 12 1902Burned area500 000 acres 200 000 ha CauseMan madeLand useForest and residentialDeathsAt least 65Non fatal injuriesUnknownMapSouthwest Washington showing burned area in pink Contents 1 Origins of the fires 2 Extent of damage 3 Legislation Yacolt Burn Rules 4 See also 5 References 6 SourcesOrigins of the fires Edit A stand of dead Douglas fir photographed in 1934The Yacolt Burn also known as the Yacolt Fire the Yacolt Blaze the Yacolt Cispus Burn or the Columbia Fire of 1902 was the result of many weather factors as well as careless humans The summer of 1902 had been drier than normal and early September winds were blowing from east to west A build up of slash from loggers had not been burned off properly in the preceding two summers 4 On September 8 a fire was started by boys trying to burn a nest of hornets near Eagle Creek Oregon Other large fires there occurred independently or combined with other fires started soon thereafter including one started by a locomotive in Dodson Oregon 5 Other accounts cite lightning as the genesis of the fire as well as careless campers and berry pickers hunters and loggers cutting slash 3 4 The fire spread rapidly extending from Bridal Veil Oregon to Cascade Locks Oregon before burning debris carried across the Columbia River to Washington The fire traveled 30 miles 48 km in 36 hours and destroyed 238 920 acres 967 km of timber about 12 billion board feet 28 000 000 m in Clark Cowlitz and Skamania counties Extent of damage EditAlthough the fire s namesake is for the town of Yacolt Washington that town suffered little damage from the fires 1 The loss of all property was assessed at a 1902 value of US 12 767 100 equivalent to 431 822 605 in 2022 4 The property damage in Multnomah County Oregon was estimated at more than one million dollars 6 The fire dropped one half inch of ash in Portland Oregon The smoke was so dense that street lights glowed at noon in Seattle 160 miles 258 km away and ships on the Columbia River were forced to navigate only by compass 7 Yacolt Washington was approached by the inferno close enough to blister paint on the town s 15 buildings but the wind changed causing the fire to veer north toward the Lewis River where it burned itself out At this point an estimated total of 500 000 acres of forest burned in the fire 8 The timber industry on the Columbia River garnered 13 590 599 board feet of shipments in October 1902 setting a new record for production in a single month 9 Legislation Yacolt Burn Rules EditImmediate calls for legislation were put into action in Oregon and Washington in order to prevent fires of this scale from breaking out again Some bills were passed into law but they were not effective measures In 1929 the Dole Valley fire destroyed another 153 000 acres 620 km2 of timber and in September 2017 the Eagle Creek Fire burned nearly 50 000 acres 200 km2 in the Columbia River Gorge The propensity for the forested uplands in this area to be repeatedly burned is due to the presence of the Columbia River Gorge which slices through the Cascade Mountains at nearly sea level and makes the climate of the Portland Metropolitan Area relatively immoderate compared to that of Seattle The area s wet winters cause rapid growth of lush timber but this is followed by the intrusion of hot dry weather in the summer from the arid Cascade Mountain rainshadow As a result all logging and other commercial activity in the area is regulated by very restrictive Yacolt Burn Rules See also EditGreat Fire of 1910 Larch Mountain Clark County Washington Silver Star Mountain Yacolt Burn State ForestReferences Edit a b Crutchfield James 2008 It Happened in Washington Guilford CT TWODOT pp 97 100 ISBN 9780762745708 Unknown June 7 1931 Governor Warns of Forest Danger The Oregonian a b Attwell Albert 1975 Columbia River Gorge History Volume Two Stevenson WA Tahlkie Books pp 202 203 a b c Oregon and Washington Fires The Columbia River and Oregon Timberman 41 December 1902 Carr Bill 1983 A History of the Bridal Veil Lumbering Company United States Department of Agriculture Pacific Northwest Region Mt Hood National Forest Unknown September 15 1902 Flames Make Ashes of Oregon and Washington Homes and One Hundred Lives May Be Death s Grim Record San Francisco Call Unknown September 13 1902 Columbia Blazing on Both Sides The Daily Journal Attwell Jim 1975 Columbia River Gorge History Volume 2 Stevenson WA Tahlkie Books p 203 The Columbia River and Oregon Timberman November 1902 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Missing or empty title help Sources EditWashington State Department of Natural Resources Yacolt Burn State Forest Map notes on reverse 199145 50 N 122 10 W 45 833 N 122 167 W 45 833 122 167 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yacolt Burn amp oldid 1170519957, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
