Fire on Isle Royale
Summer of 1936 was hot, dry, and tense on Isle Royale. On July 25, a fire broke out near the Consolidated Paper Company’s lumber mill camp on Siskiwit Bay. What began as a localized blaze quickly escalated into the largest wildfire in Isle Royale history. The island, already home to Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps building the newly authorized national park infrastructure, became the frontline for a fierce battle against the flames.
Back then, Isle Royale was experiencing a drought that gripped the northern Midwest, and the tinder-dry mossy ground combined with strong winds created the perfect storm for fire to spread rapidly. Within hours, 160 CCC men were on the scene trying to control the blaze, but by the next day, the fire had grown to 200 acres. Reinforcements from loggers and hundreds of additional CCC workers arrived, but the fire defied control, eventually scorching about 27,000 acres — roughly 20% of the island.
Only Manpower to Battle the Flames
The flames were so intense that on the night of July 31, the glow could be seen from over 40 miles away on Michigan’s mainland. The fire raged in three major spots, with the largest burning approximately 17,000 acres near Lake Desor, nearly surrounding Siskiwit Lake. The challenging terrain made fire suppression tough — no tractors or mechanized plows, just hard-working men battling the elements.
Life in the camps during the fire was rough. Food shortages and spoiled supplies plagued the firefighters, and a shortage of tobacco even led to a brief strike among the CCC enrollees. Thankfully, rain finally fell in mid-August, helping to extinguish the fires on August 18 after 19 days of relentless effort.
Fire Shaped Today’s Landscape
Today, the effects of the 1936 fire still shape Isle Royale’s landscape. In burned areas along the Greenstone Ridge Trail, birch and aspen dominate—trees that thrive in open, disturbed ground and resist fire better than the once-abundant conifers, many of which were lost in the blaze. Charred stumps and fallen pines serve as somber reminders of that dramatic summer nearly 90 years ago.
The 1936 Isle Royale fire stands as a testament to nature’s power and the grit of those who fought to protect this unique island wilderness.
Learn more about the rich history of the Western Upper Peninsula.
