The Porcupine Fire

Photo by contributor Debbie Gagain and Robert Staniforth - October, 2005

Photo from Google Street View ©2011 Google - March, 2011 - with thanks to contributor Wayne Adam

Plaque Location

The District of Cochrane
The City of Timmins
In Porcupine, at the White Waterfront Conservation Area
at the shore, beyond the eastern end of Shamrock Avenue
Note: Plaque was at another location when first photo taken in 2005
N 48 28.757 W 81 12.199

Plaque Text

In the summer of 1911, when the Porcupine gold rush was at its height the weather was hot and dry. On July 11, gale-force winds from the southwest whipped individual bush fires into a 16 km sea of flames that swiftly engulfed the drought-parched forest. The fire-storm swept through mining camps, razed the towns of South Porcupine and Pottsville, and partially destroyed Golden City (Porcupine) and Porquis Junction. Many people fled into Porcupine Lake to escape the flames. The blaze laid waste to about 200,000 hectares of forest and killed at least seventy-one people. Communities throughout Ontario responded generously with aid, and in a remarkably short time the towns were rebuilt and the mines back in operation.

Related Ontario plaque pages
Great Fire of 1916
Great Fire of 1922

Related Toronto plaque pages
Great Fire of 1849
Great Toronto Fire

More
Information

More
Disasters

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Here are the comments for this page.

Posted November 10, 2009
umm... i really dont care because i wasnt alive at the time but i feel bad for the people who died or was in emmense pain...
your truly Sara Millette at r.ross.beattie

Posted August 11, 2009
The Plaque has moved to White Water Front Pocupine Kingsmen Park at the end of Bloor Avenue.

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