Dynamiting to stop the 1906 fires is debated

After the April 18, 1906 earthquake, city officials and the Army used controlled demolitions and explosives in attempts to create firebreaks to stop spreading fires, a widely reported emergency tactic. Historians debate whether dynamiting helped contain the fires or unintentionally spread them by blowing burning debris and shrapnel across streets. Contemporary accounts describe both deliberate demolitions and chaotic results in different neighborhoods. The 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires destroyed large portions of San Francisco and prompted major rebuilding efforts.