In the summer of 1910, hundreds of wildfires raged across the Northern Rockies. By the time it was all over, more than three million acres had burned and at least 78 firefighters were dead. “The Big Burn” was the largest fire in American history, and it changed fundamentally how the country managed its public lands. PBS is showing a new documentary Tuesday night about the history and ramifications of the Great Fire of 1910, and director Stephen Ives and writer Timothy Egan will join us to talk about it.
“The Big Burn” on American Experience airs on PBS stations across the country on Tuesday, February 4. In Utah, it airs at 8 p.m. on KUED 7. Check your local listings for screenings elsewhere.
Stephen Ives wrote and directed the documentary “The Big Burn” for American Experience.
Timothy Egan is the author of many books, including The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America [Amazon|Indiebound], upon which Stephen Ives’ documentary is partly based.