August 20

Wildfires burn in Idaho and Montana, and a pollution lawsuit is settled in Alabama.

Mon, Aug 20 2012 at 6:00 AM

Aug. 20, 1910: Scorching three million acres of forest in Idaho and Montana, “The Big Burn” claims 86 lives and is one of the biggest wildfires in U.S. history.

Aug. 20, 1988: Yellowstone National Park’s “Summer of Fire” marks Black Saturday (at right), as the fires rapidly expand. Drivers in and near the park must use headlights to see through the thickening smoke. Four months of fires scorch 36 percent of the park’s area.

Aug. 20, 2003: The Monsanto and Solutia Corporations settle a lawsuit for $700 million for pollution to neighborhoods in Anniston, Alabama. Forty percent of the settlement is set aside for attorney’s fees for famous lawyer Johnnie Cochran and others.

Aug. 20, 2012: Amidst the worst drought in decades, plummeting water levels in the Mississippi River forced the closure of an 11-mile stretch near Greenville, Miss. Over 100 commercial ships and barges were stranded.

Photo: National Park Service/Wikimedia Commons

This feature is compiled by Peter Dykstra, an MNN contributor and publisher of Environmental Health News and The Daily Climate.

The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.

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