Nothing occurs in a vacuum

Nothing occurs in a vacuum. I'm reminded of that every time I research this story. The people involved existed before the fire. They lived lives, navigated setbacks, and celebrated weddings, births, harvests, and grand openings. 

When a years-long drought ended in 1918, Kiowa County scarcely had time to celebrate before the 1918–20 flu pandemic—often brought home by soldiers on leave from World War I training—killed millions worldwide. For Kiowa County, that meant 113 dead, 102 children orphaned, 64 parents burying their children, and 36 people widowed. The sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors of the dead remained, and many of them were there on that fateful Christmas Eve.

Drought. World War I. A pandemic. Oklahoma summers without air conditioning. Life in Kiowa County from 1908 through 1920 was harsh . . . and then the fire happened. 

If you are at all curious about the Spanish Flu pandemic, I recommend The Great Influenza by John M. Berry. 

The book is a must-read in the era of COVID-19, but it is a fascinating read in itself. Of course, you don't have to read the book to learn that it was only referred to as the "Spanish Flu" because Spain was practically the only country in the western world that was no censoring its press. Since Spanish newspapers were the only ones honestly reporting the effects of the pandemic, Spain was blamed for the outbreak (although it likely began in rural Kansas).