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Joseph Boersig was an important chronicler of Cleveland and, uniquely, its fires. Following his graduation from high school, Boersig enlisted in the army to serve during World War I in 1917. Upon his release from military service, he joined the Cleveland Fire Department in 1919, where he was assigned to No. 1 Engine House, driving a hook-and-ladder truck. Boersig's career as a firefighter was deeply entwined with his passion for art. He would often complete a rough sketch immediately upon returning to the station after a fire, resulting in artwork that depicted fires he had personally witnessed and fought. “There were very few painters who ever fought fires,” he noted. “I was in a position to paint what I saw.” His artwork was even utilized by local organizations for Fire Prevention Week to promote public safety awareness.
In 1933, Boersig was appointed as the first photographer for the arson squad of the Cleveland Fire Department. In this specialized role, he captured still and motion picture photography to document suspicious or questionable fires, providing invaluable evidence for fire investigations. His films were used as training tools for firefighters, and his work contributed to a significant decrease in arson cases within the city. Boersig retired from the Fire Prevention Bureau in 1948, having served a total of 29 years as a firefighter. His public service continued later in his life when he was named Chief of the State Fire Marshal for Cuyahoga County from 1957 to 1960. Though retired, he never stopped painting, and his legacy lives on through his lifetime output of work.
"Lumber Fire" depicts a dramatic scene of firefighters battling a large fire. There are many aspects of the work at motion; the swirling lines of the hoses, the motion of the billowing smoke, and the dark figures of the firefighters hard at work, all contributing to the action of the scene.