Could it happen here? As of yesterday fires in Los Angeles have torched 42 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco. Burning embers traveled up to 5 miles away, igniting new fires.
Douglas: Minnesota has seen mega-fires of its own
The Great Hinckley Fire burned 200,000 acres in September 1894, claiming more than 400 lives.
January 9, 2025 at 11:18PM
The Great Hinckley Fire burned 200,000 acres of pine forest (and the town of Hinckley) in September 1894, claiming more than 400 lives. During a severe drought could sustained winds whip up a similar firestorm today? It’s possible, but forest management has come a long way, along with the ability to pinpoint and extinguish fires before they become massive.
The L.A. fires of 2025 may surpass Hurricane Katrina ($192 billion) as America’s most expensive natural disaster. The desire to live in scenic spots (on hills, near the ocean) will come with insurance rates that are off the scale, if you can even get insurance.
While snow and ice wreak havoc from Dallas to Atlanta, a weekend clipper here may drop a whopping 1 to 2 inches in the metro, with 3- to 5-inch amounts over the northern half of Minnesota.
No polar vortex, just teens and 20s. Fresh air.
The Great Hinckley Fire burned 200,000 acres in September 1894, claiming more than 400 lives.