WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5: HUGE MICHIGAN FIRE
Profile America — Wednesday, September 5th. Wildfires — and what to do to prevent them —have been in the news a lot in the last few years. One of the largest blazes in U.S. history started on this date in 1881 in the upper peninsula of Michigan. After a long, dry summer, gale force winds turned several small fires into an inferno that blackened a million acres in just three days. The death toll reached 125 and thousands more were left homeless. Helping the victims of this disaster became the first mission of the American Red Cross, founded only months before — in Michigan — by Clara Barton. Today, there are more than 356 million acres of privately owned forest land across the country and close to 113 million acres of federally owned forest. Profile America is in its 16th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 437
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 884
Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).
SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article