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English > Historical Fires > 2001 Fire Season
The 2001 wildfire season was not as severe as the 2000 season, but drought conditions did persist throughout the west, creating the potential for some major wildfires that did occur. Luckily, there weren’t nearly as many dry lightning storms that moved through the west in 2001, which is the major cause of most wildfires.
Although there weren’t nearly as many fires, there were 10 people that died during the season as of the end of August. A firestorm in Eastern Washington took the life of four firefighters. During a firefighting mission in California, two airtankers collided, killing both pilots. Three people were killed when their helicopter in Montana, which was not actively fighting the fires at the time, but was actually just going in for a routine maintenance check after working the fires, when it crashed, killing the three aboard. The latest death was on the small Labor Fire near Lost Trail Ski Resort, in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. That firefighter was killed by a falling snag.
The fires still burned more than 500,000 acres across the west, and more than 2.9 million acres in the United States. More homes were destroyed as a result of the fires, in Weaverville, California, and Colville, Washington. The growing wildland/urban interface was evident, as many more houses that didn’t burn were threatened.
As of the end of August, there are still large fires burning in Glacier National Park (Montana), and fires have been threatening Yellowstone National Park (Montana/Wyoming).
Fire News Detailed reports on wildfires, updated daily
Submit Your Stories Share your experiences about the 2001 wildfires or any other wildfire season.
Protecting Your Home Instructions and tips on how to build and landscape a home that will be less likely to be destroyed by wildfires.
© ThinkQuest Team C0119184 :: Credits & Sources
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