'The Big Burn' Premieres on PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Tonight

Inspired by Timothy Egan's best-selling book, The Big Burn is the dramatic story of the massive wildfire that swept across the Northern Rockies in the summer of 1910. The fire devoured more than three million acres in 36 hours, confronting the fledgling U.S. Forest Service with a catastrophe that would define the agency and the nation's fire policy for much of the 20th century.

As America tries to manage its fire-prone landscapes in the 21st century, The Big Burn provides a cautionary tale of heroism and sacrifice, arrogance and greed, hubris and, ultimately, humility, in the face of nature's frightening power. Written and directed by Stephen Ives, The Big Burn premieres on American Experience tonight, September 9, 2014, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

One hundred years later, the legacy of the Big Burn can be measured in the growth of the U.S. Forest Service and in fire suppression policies that demanded that every fire be fought; a policy most now think is misguided.

"By putting out every fire for a hundred years, they allowed this huge build up of standing fuel," says author Timothy Egan. "You've created, indirectly, what are now some of the most catastrophic fires today."

Premieres tonight, September 9, 2014
9:00-10:00 p.m. ET on PBS
The Fire That Changed Everything -
The Fire That Changed Everything - "The Big Burn"

Check out trailer below:

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