Picture this. It is early October, 1803. You are in what we now know as northeast North Dakota, near where the Park River flows into the Red River. You are keeping a journal, and part of the day’s entry is that “fire is raging at every point of the compass, thick clouds of smoke nearly deprive us of the sight of the sun, and at night the view from the top of my house is awful indeed.” Those are the observations of Alexander Henry.
I recently read Interpretation and compendium of historical fire accounts in the northern great plains by Ken Higgins (1986). Higgins read historical journals, diaries, and other accounts from early explorers, traders, trappers, and others to document fires on the Great Plains prior to 1900. He documented and summarized around 300 references to fire.
We have all heard about the early fires on the prairies. Surprisingly, however, based on these observations, the frequency of lightning caused fires is much less that those set by Native Americans. Meriwether Lewis’ journal entry from March 6, near present day Stanton eludes to this: “The day was cloudy and smoky in consequence of the burning of the plains by the Minnetarees (Hidatsa); they have set all the neighbouring country on fire in order to obtain an early crop of grass which may answer for the consumption of their horses, and also as an inducement for the buffalo and other game to visit it.”
These fires were mostly scattered, single events of short duration and small extent. Native Americans set fires were documented for every month except January. The fires were conducted in two periods, one occurring from March through May with the peak period occurring in April, with the other occurring from July to early November with the peak in October. Native Americans burned the prairie a lot, and for several reasons, such as to improve forage and attract game, aid in hunting, eliminate the signs of their presence or activity, for signaling (such as a warning or threat), and to ease travel.
Although much has been written about the devastating effects of fire, Higgins notes that the effects of the bison have received scant attention. He speculates that the effects of the bison may have been even more significant than that of the fires. But we will have to save that topic for another day.
~Chuck Lura
