Deadly Elements

In nature, fire and rain are part of the cycle of life. Rain nourishes the earth and promotes a successful harvest. Fire provides warmth and comfort and helps to regenerate forests fatigued by overgrowth. But too much rain, or fire burning out of control, can bring tragedy instead.

The Matheson Forest Fire: On July 30, 1916, high winds blowing through the forests of Northern Ontario turned a small fire into an inferno that destroyed nearly 800 square miles of forest. The settler towns of Matheson, Cochrane and Nushka Station were no match for a wall of flame that leveled villages in minutes. One survivor described the experience as being "at the bottom of a sea of fire thousands of feet high." The death toll reached an unheard of 223, although the actual number was probably much higher. The fire led to the passage of tougher fire safety laws for northern Ontario.

The Rapid City Flood: Every summer storm clouds gather in South Dakota and sudden heavy rainfalls can be expected. On June 9, 1972, Rapid City witnessed the worst storm in South Dakota's history. 14 inches of rain fell in less than 6 hours, causing creeks in the Black Hills to overrun their banks, and wash out farms and highways. On the night of the 9th the storm waters reached the Rapid City. Exacerbated by the failure of Canyon Lake Dam, a wall of water roared down Rapid Creek into the heart of the city. The creek burst its banks and washed homes, cars and businesses away in its wake. By sunrise the waters had returned to normal, but Rapid City was marked by a swath of devastation. 238 people died form the flood. The city and the state responded by introducing adequate storm warning services and rebuilding to make Rapid City more able to protect itself from future disasters.