AUGUST 1, 2019 PINE CITY PIONEER 13 www.pinecitymn.com The Great Hinckley Fire, 125 years later

BY JENNIFER YOCUM-STANS AND No one knows how the access to the cooled air STATISTICS ALANEA WHITE fire actually started. It may above the fire where it con- PART 1 IN A SERIES have been a careless person tinues to feed the fire torna- Between Jan. or sparks from a passing do. Tongues of flame also 1 and June 10, The year 1894 was like train. One thing is for have the ability to jump up 2019, there were the previous few – the log- certain: all of the factors to 2,000 feet in front of the 16,361 wildfires ging industry was boom- leading up to Sept. 1, 1894, main firestorm, trapping that burned ing. All summer small fires were leading to the perfect people fleeing from the fire. 355,014 acres had burned all around, storm, a fire storm. This was exactly the case according to making the dry, hot air A firestorm is a rare on Sept. 1, 1894. the National smoky. Logging practices event in which a fire In four hours, 307,000 Interagency Fire focused mostly on the speed becomes so powerful it cre- acres burned, 480 square Center. and quantity of the logs ates its own weather. In the miles, including six towns harvested, and clean-up case of the Great Hinckley and portions of four coun- To understand efforts were not common. Fire, fire tornadoes formed ties. how far away Slash, or the piles of brush inside of the firewall. Temperatures within 215 miles is, it and branches not collected, These tornadoes helped the fire were reported would take a were either burned or left the fire grow higher and as high as 1,600 degrees person in a car on the ground also caused it to move more Fahrenheit, hot enough three hours, four Dry heat made these quickly on the ground. to melt a barrel of nails PHOTO SOURCE HTTPS://SCIJINKS.GOV/FIRESTORM/ minutes and 17 slash piles the perfect place Fires need oxygen to and fuse railcar wheels seconds driving for fires to start. The lack of grow, and a fire that creates to the tracks. The flames where locals thought a fire California burned 153,336 70 miles per rain in the area, barely two tornadoes has access to were nearly five miles was burning just north of acres in 17 days, which hour to get that inches falling between May exactly what it needs. The high (23,000 feet) and were their town. is just under half of what distance. and Sept. 1, made condi- vortex created during a reportedly seen 215 miles In comparison, the No- burned in 1894 in a few tions exceptionally dry. firestorm allows the flames away in Mason City, Iowa, vember 2018 Camp Fire in short hours. Pine City boys go 5-0 to win Pacesetter MIT

BY BRUCE STRAND PACESETTER SPORTS said, were ready for varsity level, “but it is The Pine City boys bas- a great opportunity for ketball varsity picked up them to get their feet five wins for the champi- wet.” onship of the Pacesetter Pine City was 24-4 last Minnesota Invitational season and will return Tournament on Saturday nine varsity players. The and Sunday. seniors are Seth Logan The Dragons thumped (the top scorer back), Rocori 56-40 in the cham- Tanner Wicktor, Duke pionship game at College Waxberg, Koleman Lind of St. Benedict’s in St. and Christian Fromm. Joseph, after pulling out “We are excited to four close games in pool bring that group togeth- play. er and fuse them with a To reach the finals, the very young JV team that Dragons edged the same had 19 wins last year,” Rocori team 40-38 in the Allen said, adding that first round, then Pillag- goals will be 20-plus wins er 50-46, Hayfield 42-40 before playoffs, confer- in overtime and Ken- ence title, and a home yon-Wanamingo 44-40. playoff game before mak- Pacesetter operates ing a run at sectionals. two varsity tournaments The Dragons play each August: the Sweet in their own summer 16, in which the top ech- league on Monday and elons of teams in each of Wednesday evenings. the four classes are invit- “We had almost 30 teams ed, and the MIT, in which participate this summer. the next tier of teams is It is great competition invited. for everyone at a lot of “We really pride our- different levels,” Allen selves on the defensive said. The Dragons also PHOTO PROVIDED end,” coach Kyle Allen placed third in a pair of said. “Each of the close Tri-State tournaments Front: Tanner Wicktor, Duke Waxberg, Luke Wilson, Jason Thieman, Cole Waxberg (standing), Colton Blaisdell … Back: games came down to us in Winona and had four coach Wayne Hansmann, Konnor Jusczak, Seth Logan, Kameron Jusczak, Koleman Lind, coach Kyle Allen, Christian making free-throws or close losses in a UM-Du- Fromm, Dylan Petersen, Caleb Fromm. a clutch shot and then luth Sweet 16 early in the having to get it done on summer. Over the two day stretch, members of the Pine City JV and the defensive end. It was Pacesetter, based in Varsity competed in the Minnesota Invitational Tournament great for our guys to win Paynesville, operates in St. Joseph. The team went 6-0 over the weekend and took games on that end of the basketball and volleyball home first place honors. floor.” camps in Minnesota, Pine City brought 12 Wisconsin, Iowa, North players (grades 9-12), Dakota and South Dako- more than most of the ta. (See pacesettersports. entrants. Not all, Allen net).