The Great Fire of 1910 , also known as the Big Blowup , burned through the states of Washington , Idaho , and Montana . It is still arguably the largest forest fire ever in recorded history . The smoke from this fire drifted across the entire country to Washington D.C. — both physically and politically — and it challenged the five-year-old Forest Service to address new policies regarding fire suppression , and the fire did much to create the fire rules , organizations , and policies that we have today . One of the rules as a result of the 1910 fire stated " all fires must be extinguished by 10 a.m. the following morning "
Great Fire of 1910
Great Fire of 1910
Fire lookout tower