Great Michigan Fire Great Michigan Fire The Great Michigan Fire was a series of simultaneous forest fires in the state of Michigan in the United States in 1871. They were possibly caused (or at least reinforced) by the same winds that fanned the Great Chicago Fire; some believe lightning or even meteor showers may have started the fires. Several cities, towns and villages, including Alpena, Holland, Manistee, and Port Huron, suffered serious damage or were lost. The concurrent Great Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin also destroyed several towns in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 1881, much more than half of "the Thumb" region
The Great Fire of Key West became home to a privately owned telegraph fire alarm system. Buildings reconstructed after the fire often used wood, which is unusual for communities that have experienced such a massive fire event. The motivations for this appear to be economic: lumber was readily available in Key West due to the wrecking business. The wood used most often in wealthy homes was Dade County pine, which had high resistance to termites. However, many buildings destroyed in the fire (such as Fire House No. 1) were rebuilt with red brick. The Great Fire of Key West The Great Fire of Key West was