The Great Peshtigo Fire

Presented at a reading level appropriate for children aged 8 to 12, The Great Peshtigo Fire offers illuminating text that covers the history, science, and legacy of this devastating fire. The book describes the building and land-use practices of the time that made the area ripe for such a fire as well as the weather patterns that led to widespread fires throughout the upper Midwest in the summer and fall of 1871. It also offers exciting first-person accounts that vividly bring the stories to life. Through this multifaceted approach, The Great Peshtigo Fire will enhance young readers’ understanding of the history of settlement, agriculture, and forestry in nineteenth-century Wisconsin.

Connections made between the Peshtigo Fire and the history of fire prevention in the United States also encourage critical thinking about issues that remain relevant to this day, such as planned burns and development restrictions near forested areas. The Great Peshtigo Fire: Stories and Science from America’s Deadliest Firestorm will inform and captivate readers as it journeys through the horrifying story behind this historic tragedy.