Author Daniel James Brown has written a new book that recalls one of America's most devastating fires.
On Sept. 1, 1894, two forest fires converged on Hinckley, Minnesota, and burned up the town within five hours, leaving little time for anyone to get to safety. The only means of escape were two trains, one of which caught fire as it carried passengers out of town.
Brown has roots in this catastrophe. His great-grandmother and grandfather were on that burning train; his great-grandfather died in the fire.
MPR's Cathy Wurzer talked with Daniel James Brown about his new book, "Under a Flaming Sky," that combines survivors' stories and interviews with forest fire experts, in an exploration of what is now known as the Great Hinckley Firestorm.