Open house, presentation at school are events for fire prevention week locally

The National Fire Protection Association established Fire Prevention Week to memorialize the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 – a blaze that burned more than 2,000 acres over the course of two days, took more than 250 lives and left 100,000 homeless.

At the same time the Peshtigo fire blazed through 16 towns in northeast Wisconsin, killing 1,152 and burning 1.2 million acres.

In 1911 the Fire Marshals Association of North America, known today as the International Fire Marshals Association, chose the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire to inform the public of the importance of fire prevention....