 The worst loss of life in United States history due to a wildfire occurred in 1871 when the Peshtigo Fire swept through Wisconsin, killing more than 1,500 people.The Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889 in California and especially the Great Fire of 1910 in Montana and Idaho contributed to the philosophy that fire was a danger that needed to be suppressed.The Great Fire of 1910 burned , destroyed a number of communities, and killed 86 people; this event prompted various land management agencies to emphasize wildfire suppression.