The Great Fire of 1922 was a wildfire burning through the Lesser Clay Belt in the Timiskaming District, Ontario, Canada, from October 4 to 5, 1922. It has been called one of the ten worst natural disasters in Canadian history. The preceding summer had been unusually hot and dry. Fire rangers, anticipating the upcoming "burn" season, had requested to stay in the area but were not granted permission. They left at the end of the fire season in mid September, leaving the area without fire protection services. In the fall when burning permits were no longer required, farmers and settlers started to set small brush fires to clear the land. Dry conditions had persisted past the usual "burn" season and on October 4, the wind turned into hurricane-force gales, fanning the flames out of control and combining the brush fires into one large inferno. Over two days, the fire consumed an area of 1,680 square kilometres, affecting 18 townships in Ontario. It completely destroyed the communities of North Cobalt, Charlton, Thornloe, Heaslip, and numerous smaller settlements. Englehart and New Liskeard were partly burnt. In all 43 people died. In Quebec, the communities of Notre-Dame-du-Nord and neighbouring Notre-Dame-des-Quinze were also devastated. The fires were extinguished when the winds abated and rain and snow began to fall on October 5, 1922. Wikipedia [ - ]

The Great Fire of 1922 was a wildfire burning through the Lesser Clay Belt in the Timiskaming... [ + ]