Under a Flaming Sky

The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894

By: Daniel James Brown

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Daniel James Brown

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 on 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 plasma-like 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.

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.

The horror and the history

Such an incredible story . I’d never heard of this, but love anything Daniel Brown writes.

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.