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Historic U.S. Fires, 1871-2003: Peshtigo

Fires that had lasting impact

Peshtigo: The deadliest fire

The public at large has mostly forgotten about the Peshtigo Fire, likely because it started on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. But Peshtigo suffered as much as five times the fatalities as that more famous fire. An accurate death toll has never been determined because all local records were destroyed in the fire--estimates range from between 1,500-2,400.

1,500-2,400 fatalities