Great Michigan Fire loss, animal deaths, and forest devastation has never been determined. Also unknown is the total number of human deaths. Some estimates put the loss of life at fewer than 500, but they were largely based on families reporting their members missing. In 1871 in Michigan there were hundreds to thousands of lumberjacks and salesmen spread out across the state, along with settlers in remote areas, making it impossible to total the loss. Because these fires happened in the day other estimates of the Great Michigan Fire death toll is lower than the Great Chicago Fire's estimated 250-300 dead. One speculation,
Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 correspondence was Hayden's Report No. 7 to Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Spencer Baird, a bit of which is excerpted below: Yellowstone Lake, WY August 8th, 1871 - Dear Professor Baird, Your letters of June 6th and July 3rd were brought us from Fort Ellis by Lt. Doane who has just arrived to take command of our escort and accompany my party the remainder of the season. ... We arrived at the banks of the Yellow Stone Lake "[sic]" July 26th [actually July 28] and pitched our camp near the point where the river leaves the Lake. Hence