Under a Flaming Sky

The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894

By: Daniel James Brown

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Daniel James Brown

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

On September 1, 1894, two forest fires converged on the town of Hinckley, Minnesota, trapping over 2,000 people. Daniel J. Brown recounts the events surrounding the fire in the first and only book to chronicle the dramatic story that unfolded.

On September 1, 1894, two forest fires converged on the town of Hinckley, Minnesota, trapping over 2,000 people. Daniel J. Brown recounts the events surrounding the fire in the first and only book to chronicle the dramatic story that unfolded.

Whereas Oregon's famous "Biscuit" fire in 2002 burned 350,000 acres in one week, the Hinckley fire did the same damage in five hours. The fire created its own weather, including hurricane-strength winds, bubbles of plasmalike glowing gas, and 200-foot-tall flames. In some instances "fire whirls", or tornadoes of fire, danced out from the main body of the fire to knock down buildings and carry flaming debris into the sky. Temperatures reached 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit - the melting point of steel.

As the fire surrounded the town, two railroads became the only means of escape. Two trains ran the gauntlet of fire. One train caught on fire from one end to the other. The heroic young African American porter ran up and down the length of the train, reassuring the passengers even as the flames tore at their clothes. On the other train, the engineer refused to back his locomotive out of town until the last possible minute of escape. In all, more than 400 people died, leading to a revolution in forestry management practices and federal agencies that monitor and fight wildfires today.

Author Daniel Brown has woven together numerous survivors' stories, historical sources, and interviews with forest fire experts in a gripping narrative that tells the fascinating story of one of North America's most devastating fires and how it changed the nation.

©2016 Daniel Brown (P)2016 Penguin Audio

After fire started, I couldn't stop listening

A bit slow at the beginning but once fire started, pace was relentless. Narrator's voice was pleasant and he had appropriate pauses between scene shifts.

The author did his research well provided rich scientific and historical details.

I know Minnesota had a greater and more tragic fire around Cloquet some years later. This was touched on only briefly. I wish there was some discussion about why the Hinckley fire is the more famous.

great work of history.

The story of historical facts from the personal survivors point of view brought it to realization. The heroes in life events are often forgotten after a period of time, so thank you for including the black porter.

A FANTASTIC READ

The author brings the characters to life and gives the disaster an immediacy that history books can sometimes lack. Gripping!

An American tragedy

Sad story of lives and towns in Minnesota destroyed by firestorm in 1894. Lack of modern communication and meteorology resources resulted in a tragedy of the times.

Brown's word paint a vivid picture.

I'm a big fan of the works of Daniel James Brown. He makes the human story of this tragic incident come alive in gruesome data. A true story of perseverance and heroism on a scale that many 21st century Americans will find hard to believe.

Amazing story

Intense but can’t put down. So many hero’s and hard working people offering much generousity

Historical novel, that was also riveting at times

Well, researched and well put together story. At times I felt like I was running away from the fires. It drew a clear picture in my mind of the horror it must’ve been living through that.

Almost too much drama.

Daniel James Brown is just a terrific author. His research of the historical and scientific details make his books fascinating.

In this book, the details are so tragic, so heartbreaking, that for me, the story was at times a little difficult to read. I really enjoyed the epilogue. Learning a little of the author's journey and his relationship to that tragic event lent a deeper appreciation for the story.

Excellent historical event writing

The writer did a wonderful job of pulling me into the event and characters. I was also very pleased with the narrator's work.

First class page turner

A nonfiction nightmare story I had a hard time setting aside to accomplish my goals for the day. We had recently had our own tragedy with fire in Paradise.