On April 25, 1994, the largest high school arson in the United States occurred, which resulted in over $15 million in damages. The same arsonist also started fires at Edina High School and Minnetonka High School. During the restoration, high school students studied at nearby Nicollet Junior High and Sky Oaks Elementary Schools. Around the time of the fire, the school's mascot was changed from the Braves to the Blaze to avoid stigmatizing and stereotyping Native Americans. Prior to the Braves, the first mascot of Burnsville High School was the Bulldogs.