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The Edward Pulaski Tunnel and Placer Creek Escape Route (also known as the Pulaski Tunnel) are two adjacent sites used by United States Forest Service firefighter Edward Pulaski in the Great Fire of 1910 to save the lives of himself and his crew.The sites are located south of Wallace, Idaho in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Pulaski's tunnel and escape route are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. == Fire of 1910 == The summer of 1910 was hot and dry, with an extremely high fire danger throughout the western United States. By August, there were approximately 1,400 wildfires burning out of control in northern Idaho, northeastern Washington, and northwestern Montana. On 20 August, some of those wildfire blew-up into huge firestorms, threatening a number of rural communities and trapping firefighting crews. One of those crews was led by Ed Pulaski.〔("North Idaho 1910 Fire Sites" ), ''National Register of Historic Places—Nomination Form'', United States Park Service, United States Department of Interior, Washington, District of Columbia, 24 September 1984.〕〔("The 1910 Fires" ), Forest History Society, Durham, North Carolina, 18 December 2014.〕〔Koch, Elers, ("The Great Fire" ), "History of the 1910 Forest Fires—Idaho & Western Montana", ''When the Mountains Roared Stories of the 1910 Fire'', Idaho Panhandle National Forests, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 1978.〕 Pulaski and his crew were fighting the fire in an area around the west fork of Placer Creek, approximately southwest of Wallace. When the fire became too dangerous, Pulaski ordered his forty-five men to evacuate toward Wallace. As they retreated, a second fire blocked their way, leaving them surrounded by fire. Pulaski knew the area so he was able to lead his men through the burning forest to an abandoned mine. The crew (along with two horses) entered the mine opening near the bank of Placer Creek just as the fire engulfed the area.〔〔〔Pulaski, E. C., ("Surrounded by Forest Fires—My Most Exciting Experience as a Forest Ranger" ), ''American Forestry'' (Volume 29), American Forests, Washington, District of Columbia, August 1923, pp. 485-486.〕 The mine was actually a short prospecting tunnel that had been abandoned because no ore was found there. The mine opening was high and wide. At the entrance, there were cedar floor planks and squeeze caps logs in place to prevent spalling. The total length of the mine was only ; however, that was enough to shelter Pulaski and his crew.〔〔("Edward Pulaski’s Tunnel and Placer Creek Escape Route" ), "National Register of Historic Places—Nomination Form", United States Park Service, United States Department of Interior, Washington, District of Columbia, 1984.〕 As the fire raged outside the mine, the heat caused the cold air in the tunnel to rush out, replacing it with hot air and smoke. Pulaski ordered the men to lie down on the floor of the mine where there was still some breathable air. As the fire closed in around the tunnel entrance, timber beams at the mouth of the tunnel began to burn. Pulaski carried water in his hat from pools on the mine floor to the entrance, trying to douse the flames. In the process, he was badly burned. Eventually, Pulaski fell unconscious, as did all his men.〔〔〔 The next morning, Pulaski counted 39 living men. One of his crew had been killed by a falling snag on the way to the mine; five others had died from smoke inhalation during the night (the two horses also died). After the fire in the surrounding forest died down, Pulaski and his crew followed Placer Creek to safety in Wallace.〔〔〔〔("Pulaski Tunnel Trail" ), Idaho Panhandle National Forests, United states Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, accessed 20 December 2014.〕 In just two days, the Great Fire of 1910 consumed of forest. The six men lost in or near Pulaski’s tunnel were among 78 firefighters killed by the fire. There were also seven civilians who died in the fire; bringing the total loss of life to 85 people.〔〔 Because of its association with Ed Pulaski and the Great Fire of 1910 fire, the Pulaski Tunnel and fire escape route were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The tunnel also provides valuable information on historic mining methods in the Idaho panhandle.〔〔("Pulaski Tunnel Trail" ), Idaho Division of Tourism Development, Boise, Idaho, accessed 20 December 2014.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Edward Pulaski Tunnel and Placer Creek Escape Route」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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