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Natural Disasters |
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Natural Disasters |
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Natural Disasters are a fact of life, although at times, they can result in a large loss of life and property. Fires, earthquakes, avalanches and the like are a part of Idaho's history.
There are many avalanches every year in Idaho. Many of them are caused by snowmobilers, as the rush of snow blocks transportation paths. Loss of life, while not common, is not unusual, either.
12 Jul 1944 - Sheep Mountain Earthquake
Magnitude: 6.1
Section of Rapid River Canyon Wall fell into Lime Creek. New cabin shaken off it's foundation. Large cracks formed in nearby trails.
28 Mar 1975 - Eastern Idaho
Magnitude: 6.2
Ridgedale area of Pocatello Valley, sparsely populated. Several ranch houses shaken off foundations, many chimneys toppled. Total property damage estimated at $1 million.
28 Oct 1983 - Borah Peak Earthquake
Magnitude: 6.9
Two children were killed in Challis from falling masonry as they were walking to school. Property damage in the Challis-Mackay was estimated $12.5 million. In Mackay, 90% of the chimneys were cracked. Buildings in both towns were condemned, but later rebuilt.
22 Sep 2003 - Rathdrum
Magnitude: 3.3
Many people felt shaking. Damage minimal
24 Sep 1883, Hailey, Idaho
The businesses on the east side of Main Street were destroyed by fire. Brick buildings were built to replace the frame buildings burned.
2 Jul 1889, Hailey, Idaho
The Nevada Hotel burned, with a strong wind blowing, the only business on the block which didn't burn was the business owned by S J Friedman.
26 Nov 1889, Blackfoot, Idaho Territory
The main building of the Territorial Asylum burned early in the morning. Of the 67 residents, sixty were located. Men were housed at the courthouse and women at the Methodist church until suitable accommodations could be found. Two died: Mr Keen and Mr Smith. Five were unaccounted for: Cora Allen, Mr Glen, Mr Hanson, Mr Kennedy, and Dora Nantic.
28 Jul 1890, Wallace, Idaho
Fire destroyed the entire business district, leaving about 1500 people homeless. Four days after the fire, a tent city was built to house the homeless and by Christmas, brick buildings had replaced the temporary ones.
6 Sep 1892, Rocky Bar, Idaho
Fire claimed the entire community. More than 150 are homeless.
27 Mar 1894, Genesee, Idaho
The entire establishment, stock and all, of George Stiltz burned to the ground. He carried lumber and building supplies, and undertaking supplies.
5 Oct 1899, Boise, Idaho
A basement fire at Galbraith's Drug Store threatened the entire Odd Fellows block in Boise. A drug store employee, Henry Hart, discovered the fire and reported it. Mr Hart received some burns on his arm. Max Sargeant was cut by glass.
Jul 1901, Payette, Idaho
Mrs M Bryam, while spending the night with the A A Branthoover family, lit a matche to orient herself during the night. When she dropped the match, the couch she was on immediately went up in flames, slightly burning her hands and scorching her hair. Mr Branthoover, with her help, carried the couch outside where the fire was extinguished. No other injuries.
27 Aug 1902, Harrison, Idaho
The mills of the Cameron Lumber Co with nearly 3,000,000 feet of choice lumber were destroyed by fire. During the firefighting, at one point, it seemed that the town was in danger, but the winds shifted and only the lumber company was damaged.
8 Aug 1903, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
The big planing mill and yard of the Coeur d'Alene Lumber Company were destroyed. Everyone in town turned out to fight the fire and the fire department from Spokane was sent by special train. When the boiler exploded, it sent out fragments and one amputated A Bartlett's leg.
30 Mar 1906, Moscow, Idaho
The administration building of the university burned to the ground. A portion of the museum content and the chemical laboratory was saved. No one was injured or killed. Fire believed to have started in the basement of the girls' restaurant.
4 Dec 1908, Boise, Idaho
The Central School Building, occupied by the State School for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind, burned. The alarm was given as the forty children were being marched to breakfast and they were immediately marched to safety.
19 - 21 Aug 1909, Coeur d'Alene District, Idaho
High winds help spread a blaze through the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation and throughout eastern Washington and western Idaho. No deaths were reported, but some were unaccounted for. In advance of the blaze, farmers and those in logging camps sent women and children with their belongings to safety and turned their attention to fighting the blaze. Wearied firefighters, replaced by fresh firefighters, were tending to the women and children.
2 Jan 1910, Mace, Idaho
The sorting plant and ore bins of the Mace Mine burned, totally destroyng the buildings and equipment. No one was injured and the loss was fully insured. The mine, owned by Federal Mine & Smelting Company, was intended to be quickly rebuilt.
15 Jul 1910, Graham Creek, Idaho
A forest fire swept through the area. Mrs Joseph Mason, fearing for herself and her four small children, fled their home in the area and ran the three miles to the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. They survived, but were exhausted at the end of their trek.
Aug 1910, Forest Fires
Forest fires swept through much of northern Idaho, as well as Montana and Washington. The number of dead varied with different reports. Some of the lumberjack camps were entirely wiped out with no one alive to identify those who were there. Charles and Warren Weston, lumberjacks fighting the fire on Big Creek, escaped death by covering themselves with a wet blanket in the water. They watched 20 Italian laborers who were unable to get to the Westons (or vice versa) burn to death. Those identified as dead were: S D Adams (30); Roderick Ames; John Andrease with his wife and five children; Joseph Beauchamp; A Benston; O Bing; M Busion; D Carey; William Casey; P F DeChant; M Donohue; Edward Dunn; O Ellifson; P Groggan; J Hill; Jack Hill; Harry Jackson; James D Kearney; Patrick Kelley; James Kerr; Henry Lilerman; Frank Masteson; Edward Miller; Edward Murphy; V Nicholson (17); M Nillo; W Norton; James Osborne with wife and family; W Poke; George Queere; James Riley; J Rusick; Frank Sanders; L Schwartz; Leslie Sellers (18); Frank Sketchel; B A Smith with wife and two children; George Smith; Frank D Surck; L S Swartz; L Ustello; and Oscar Weigart. Forest Rangers involved: Ranger DeBlitt (Missoula, MT); Ranger Ferns; Deputy Ranger Fisher; Ranger Joseph B Haim/Halm (ex-football star at Washington State College)(unaccounted for with a party of 84); Ranger Hollingsbead (party of 60 dead or missing); and Ranger Kottkey. Unidentified dead were buried at Avery.
Those killed in Wallace, Idaho (town nearly destroyed): Joseph G Boyd; Mrs Charles Smith and 1-year-old baby; Miss Amelia Ward; Twelve firefighters from Ranger Bell's Crew; Six firefighters from Ranger Edward Pulask's Crew; One firefighter from Ranger Danielson's Crew.
10 Apr 1912, Butte, Idaho
A spark dropping in loose hay at a feed store started a fire that destroyed an entire block. Stone, Ordean and Wells Grocery as well as The Daly Bank & Trust Company, had heavy losses. Fourteen homes were destroyed. Ten others damaged and 25 families were homeless from the fire.
28 Oct 1912, Pocatello, Idaho
The Oregon Short Line car shops started on fire. Due to the highly flammable contents, the building was totally engulfed before firefighters arrived. The building and its contents were a total loss, however there was no injuries or loss of life and the fire was contained to the building it started in.
22 Jan 1913, St Anthony, Idaho
The Ross Hamer block was the first in flames and was completely gutted by them. Because of the intense cold, pipes froze and the small water supply was inaccessible. Wind whipped the flames to other buildings. The Gwynn block building's roof caught fire and it caved in. Rexburg sent firefighters by special train to help battle the blaze. Families fled with their household possessions.
May 1913, Preston, Idaho
At the home of Bishop Hugh S Geddes, a young son started a fire, then went out to do his chores. When Mrs Geddes got up and went to the kitchen, upon opening the door, a wind tunnel was created and she barely had time to grab a child and get out a window. The home was a total loss.
Apr 1915, Nampa, Idaho
In the fifth inning of a high school baseball game between Nampa and Boise, the Nampa pitcher and another player saw a fire in the stands, probably originating from a cigar butt, and responded, putting out the fire. No injuries or deaths.
Mar 1920, Genesee, Idaho
Fire destroyed the home and its contents of C P Whalen. His neighbors, Mrs H H Schooler and Mr & Mrs J W Jarboe, discovered the home was on fire. The fire was contained to the single residence.
18 Mar 1930, Elk City, Idaho
The once thriving mining town was destroyed by fire as residents tried desparately to save household furnishing. No one was seriously injured or killed in the blaze.
17 Jan 1931, Twin Falls, Idaho
An exploding oil furnace caused Mr & Mrs Alfred Brown's home to be completely destroyed, killing their children, Philip, 3 and Virgil & Virginia, 2. Mrs Brown, at a neighbors when the fire started, was able to get the ten-month-old baby out, but she died later from burns received.
21 May 1937, Weiser, Idaho
Flames destroyed the theater and damaged a grocery store next door and ten occupied apartments on the second floor. No one was reported injured or dead.
Jun 1958, Boise, Idaho
A fire destroyed the two-story Mode Department Store in the central business district of Boise. The fire originated in the basement. Two men working on the mezzanine escaped unharmed but Jerry Warner, the nightwatchman, was overcome by smoke inhalation and required medical attention.
Sep 1963, Riggins, Idaho
The Paradise Pines Rest Home caught fire during the night. Many of the residents were bedfast or had limited mobility. Staff worked to get as many out as possible. Seven men could not be saved. Those who died were: Joe Bogle, John Broadahl, Otto Korbin, John Passi, Frank Rowland, Dan Stowe, and John Zietlow.
25 Nov 1969, Boise, Idaho
The four-story Oxford Hotel burned. Initial reports claimed that not all the occupants were accounted for, however, fire officials claimed that there were no injuries.
- Floods
13 Jan 1900 Potlatch River Flood
From early reports, the cause of the flood was an earlier train wreck, which ended up in the river and wasn't removed. The wreckage dammed the river, causing it to change course and follow the railroad grade. Twenty homes in Kendrick were destroyed. Many businesses suffered losses. Three children, those of Charles Hamlin/Hamblin, the Street Commissioner, were drowned in an overturned buggy as they tried to flee.
5 Jun 1976 Teton Dam
The Teton Dam burst sending a wall of water over fifteen feet high and, at times, over five miles wide. Acres of farmland and hundreds of farm animals were lost. Confirmed deaths, many injured and many more missing. Portion of the dam still stands and it has never been rebuilt. Communities of Blackfoot, Rexburg, Shelley, Firth, Idaho Falls, Sugar City, Saint Anthony among others were affected. David Benson died.
Williamette Valley Flood 1996
- Pipeline Disasters
17 Feb 1958 Kimberly, Idaho
A natural gas metering station exploded killing two pipeline workers. No fire accompanied.
9 Nov 1958 near Blue Creek, Idaho
A jet fuel line ruptured. Fuel flowed down the creek, igniting and damaging one home. Six bridges were destroyed.
2 May 1973 Murray, Idaho
A diesel pipeline ruptured releasing between 7,000 and 10,000 gallons of fuel into the air as a mist, covering homes and businesses. Some fuel reached nearby creeks. No fire accompanied.
4 Jul 1983 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
A front loader dug into a petroleum pipeline, causing 20,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline to spill, much ending up in a nearby creek, which killed everything for three miles downstream.
23 Jul 1987 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Construction crew working on I-90 struck the Yellowstone Pipeline, spilling over 200 barrels of fuel. Pipeline was supposed to have 30 inches of soil cover, but only had 2 inches. No fire.
- Volcanoes
Craters of the Moon Volcanos
This cinder cone volcanoes last erupted about 2000 years ago. However, unlike other volcanos in Idaho which are believed to have been formed with one large burst, these volcanoes in the Snake River Plain were formed by a series of eruptions.
Hell's Half Acre Volcano
This shield volcano is part of the Snake River Plain. It last erupted over 5,000 years ago.
Shoshone Lava Field Volcano
This volcano last erupted about 10,000 years ago, based upon dating of the lava. It lies north of Twin Falls on the Snake River Plain.
Wapi Lava Field
This shield volcano is located SE of Craters of the Moon. It last erupted about 2250 years ago. The vent for this volcano is located in the Great Rift of the Craters of the Moon and the lava field was formed about the same time as the last eruption of the Craters of the Moon
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