When the Mountains Roared: A New Exhibit at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula About the Fire of 1910

When you walk into the exhibit, When the Mountains Roared, you know something is very wrong. The cloying stench of smoke fills your nostrils and the ominous crackling of flames ushers you back 100 years to get a feeling of what it was like to experience the West's biggest known wildfire.

Even though your body is telling you something is wrong, you're really in no danger. The smells, sounds and visual effects are all part of the exhibit to give museum goers a hint of what it really was like. It's authentic too - I've lived through enough forest fires to recognize that characteristic smell. Luckily for me and everyone there, it's a harmless illusion and completely nontoxic.

The Big Burn

This year, 2010, marks the centennial of the Fire of 1910, often called The Big Burn and The Big Blowup. This fire was so massive, it consumed an estimated 3 million acres across Montana and Idaho. The fire took the lives of 78 firefighters and at least 13 civilians. The Big Burn consisted of 1736 separate fires that went out of control on August 20^th when massive winds cause a blow up that kindled the already drought-parched land.

Many heroes emerged from the fire including William Weigle and Edward Pulaski, whose name is commemorated with the Pulaski firefighting tool. Coeur d'Alene Forest Supervisor, William Weigle who rushed to Wallace, Idaho to warn the inhabitants of the impending fire but was caught in the flames and forced to hold out in a mine shaft until pressing on and arriving at Wallace to help with evacuations, wounded and dead. District Ranger, Edward Pulaski, fought the fire with his men until trapped. He led them into a mine tunnel, thus saving 45 men as the fire passed over them.

The Exhibit

The exhibit uses a high-tech scent-dispenser system that is non-toxic and hypo-allergic. Audio systems provide sounds of forest fires and train depot. Optic firelight fixtures give the illusion of flames at the "ranger campground." Other historic artifacts include telegraphs, ranger offices, maps of the fire, burned and melted pieces of items from fire fighters, and uniforms.

The exhibit is full of stories of bravery and tragedy, triumph and defeat. Photos taken after the fire show the horror of the burn and the refugees from the fire. Particularly fascinating are the stories of the children who escaped the fire and the kindness of the people of Missoula.

When the Mountains Roared: The Fire of 1910 runs from March 28, 2010 to January 1, 2012. Museum Hours: Memorial Day through Labor Day is Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from Noon to 5 pm. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, the hours are Tuesday through Sunday from Noon to 5 pm. Admission Prices: Students - $1.00, Seniors - $2.00 Adults - $3.00, Max. Family - $10.00.

Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

Bldg. 322

Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT 59804

Phone: (406) 728-3476

Fax: (406)543-6277

ftmslamuseum@montana.com

www.fortmissoulamuseum.org

References

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

1910 Fire Commemoration Information Site