During the August of 1910, a massive wildfire destroyed three million acres of land in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The Great Fire of 1910 is believed to be the largest, although not the deadliest, forest fire in U.S. history. Smoke from the fair was said to be seen as far east as New York and as far south as Denver, Colorado.

Seven small towns in Idaho and Montana were completely destroyed by the fire, and one third of Wallace, Idaho burned to the ground. The Big Burn Collection, a digital exhibition of materials related to the Big Burn fires of 1910, contains many startling images of the destruction.

From the Big Burn Collection