This is time of year when we observe Fire Prevention Week. But first let's clear up a popular misconception: The cow didn't do it—start the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that is. The myth that the fire began when Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern was busted long ago.

A positive legacy of the blaze has been the observance of fire safety week, which occurs every year during the week in which Oct. 9 falls. The Chicago fire began October 8 but most of the damage occurred the following day. In all, the fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres.

As bad as it was, the Chicago fire wasn't the worst inferno to occur on those two days. Far worse was the Peshtigo Fire, the most devastating forest fire in American history, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. The fire blazed through Northeast Wisconsin, burning down 16 towns, killing 1,152 people, and scorching 1.2 million acres before it ended. Historical accounts of the fire speculate that it began when railroad workers clearing land for tracks unintentionally started a brush fire.

Forty years after the Chicago fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (now the International Fire Marshals Association), decided to mark the event not with a celebration but with an annual public safety campaign about fire prevention.

At Consumer Reports we report on fire safety year round. In fact, we have new Ratings and recommendations (for subscribers) of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, a must for every home. We've also written recently about kitchen fires, which the NFPA is highlighting this week, childproofing your stove, fire safety on campus, and grilling safety, among many other related topics.

Last year fire departments responded to 1,451,500 fires in the U.S. that resulted in 3,320 civilian deaths. More than 80 percent of those deaths occurred at  home. With that in mind, take a moment this week to review fire safety with your family. The NFPA has lots of good information on its Web site, including the exoneration of Mrs. O'Leary's cow.