Fire Archaeology



PROJECT SUMMARY

Foresta Prescribed Burns 1998

Foresta, California

(YOSE 1998I)

By

Linn Gassaway

Archeology Office,

Yosemite Research Center

USDI, National Park Service

Yosemite National Park, California

1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

The Foresta area was burned in an intense firestorm during the 1990 A-Rock complex fire. Tens of structures (homes, outbuildings) were destroyed; a mature yellow pine forest was radically changed and several historic properties were affected (See Mundy, 1990 and Hull, 1991). Since that time, dead and downed timber has accumulated and a vigorous young pine forest has appeared. The NPS objectives are to reduce heavy hazard fuel loads on NPS lands adjacent to structures, to manage the forest for a more open character, and create a defensible firebreak around the Foresta community. The Prescribed Fire Program proposes a combination of actions to accomplish these objectives

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Jeff Hinson and the El Portal Prescribed fire crew for working with me to avoid impacts on the sites while building fire line. To the whole prescribed fire crew for working with me during the fire to avoid sites. For the second prescribed fire of the season the overall the project went smoothly with little impact to sites.

MANAGEMENT SUMMARY

Project Title: Foresta Prescribed Burns 1998

Project Designation: YOSE 1998I

Undertaking: Prescribed burns in Foresta

Fieldwork Dates: April 15- July 3, 1998

Project Archeologist: Linn Gassaway

Supervisory Archeologist: Laura Kirn Laird

Collection Curation: Yosemite Collections

Accession No.

Catalog Nos.

INTRODUCTION

The Yosemite Prescribed Fire program has targeted Foresta for hazardous fuel reduction in order to better protect the lives and property of the local in holdings. During the summer of 1997 pile burning took place (Montague, 1997). As a next phase during the spring and summer of 1998 additional pile burning and surface burning took place.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

During the spring of 1998 the prescribed fire crew worked in three different areas of Foresta (See project map). The first phase of the project included manually and mechanically thinning hazardous fuel loads. The materials were then piled and when the piles had dried out they were burned. Prior to piling the areas were walked through by the author and burn piles were placed off of sites. Phase two involved construction of handlines around the proposed undergrowth burn area. These lines were constructed by clearing surface vegetation to mineral soil. The lines were approximately 50 cm wide. Phase 3 was a low intensity undergrowth burn and mop up.

PREVIOUS ARCHEOLOGICAL WORK

The first archeological survey in the Foresta-Big Meadow area was undertaken by James Bennyhoff in 1954 as part of the University of California Archeological Survey Appraisal of the Archaeological Resources of Yosemite National Park. At that time he recorded eleven prehistoric sites including site CA-MRP-3, CA-MRP-144.

The next archeological survey took place in 1974 under L. Kyle Napton as part of surveys undertaken by California State College, Stanislaus (CSCS). This survey recorded twelve new sites and rerecorded ten of Bennyhoff’s sites, the new sites recorded included CA-MRP-346, CA-MRP-349, and CA-MRP-350.

In 1976 two extant barns of the Meyer Ranch in Big Meadow were included on the National Register (Hart and Wilson 1976) and in 1979 Anderson and Ackerly nominated the Foresta-Big Meadow Archeological District including the twenty two sites Napton had recorded or re-recorded.

In 1990 following the A-Rock Fire Dames and Moore under the direction of Kathleen Hull, conducted the Archeological Survey and Post-Fire Surface Evaluation of the Foresta, Big Meadow, and McCauley Meadow Areas, Yosemite National Park, California. This survey merger numerous site and recorded 15 new sites bringing the total number of sites in the Foresta-Big Meadow area to 36.

Mundy, W. Joseph, 1991, Arch Rock Complex Archeological Summary (YOSE 90I)

Big Meadow Yosemite National Park Cultural Landscape Report, 1996,Cultural Resources Division, Western Region, Yosemite, California

Parks, Virginia M. 1991, 1990 Yosemite Fire Salvage Timber Sale Surveys: Mariposa Grove, Wawona Road, Glacier Point Road, Big Oak Flat Road, Foresta Road, Old Coulterville Road and Tioga Road (YOSE 1990J)

Significance

Big Meadow is significant as a historic vernacular landscape under National Register Criterion A: for its association with events that made significant contributions to the broad patterns of history; under Criterion C: for the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of design; and under Criterion D: for the important historic information the site has yielded and is likely to yield”. (Anonymous 1996, 45)

Black smith shop and sawmill on the east bank of Crane Creek.

1968 forest fire

Foresta-Big Meadow Archeological District

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

MONITORING PROCEDURES

Prior to thinning, piling or burning, units were walked through using a random survey method. Due to time and personal constraints a systematic survey was beyond the scope of this project. The area having been previously surveyed three times also made systematic survey unwarranted. Random and minimal survey methods were used because historic sites had often been overlooked or were out of the scope of previous surveys.

Previously recorded sites were relocate and monitor. Changes in site conditions were noted and site records were update, if conditions had changed. The following criteria was used for updating site records.

Update Site Forms and Map and fill out a Burn Intensity and Impact Sheet (need to make one up) if any of the following are seen:

New artifacts types or features, and/or site area is expanded by discovery of new artifacts or features outside previous boundaries.

And

Any of the site was burned and/or the site is impacted by Fire Suppression efforts or pile burning.

If the site is not burned but in the APE

Update Site Forms and Map if any of the following are seen:

New artifacts types or features and/or site area is expanded by discovery of new artifacts or features outside previous boundaries.

If site is burned and does not need to be updated: Burn Intensity and Impact Sheet:

If site is burned and site boundaries are not expanded and no new artifacts types or features are noted.

Do not update Site Form and/or Map

If site is unchanged no new artifacts or features are noted.

The site is not impacted by the fire, fire suppression efforts, or pile burning.

During the Burn -

An archaeologist walked proposed fire lines, and ground disturbing activities in order to identify and protect archeological sites. An archaeologist briefed the fire crews on history of the Foresta area and archeological concerns for each burn. Immediately following the burn sites fire effects on the sites was document.

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE SUMMARIES

CA-MRP-3/144/153/349H

The site is a large village site consisting of at least 22 stationary milling features with a total of 588 mortar cups and eight milling slicks; areas of midden soil; one possible housepit depression; a light to moderate density scatter of obsidian, chert, and basalt debitage and tools; two extant historic barns; two historic cabin or structure sites; an historic apple orchard; a pioneer graveyard; a forge or blacksmith area; and abundant historic debris including cans, bottle, glass, and ceramics.

CA-MRP-346H

Site consists of three stationary milling features with a total of 39 mortar cups and three milling slicks, midden soil, a light scatter of obsidian debitage and a concentration of historic bottles on a knoll, slop, and terrace adjacent to Crane Creek

CA-MRP-350

Site consists of three stationary milling features with a total of 37 mortar cups and one milling slick, and a moderately dense scatter of obsidian, basalt, and chert debitage on ridge slopes on both sides of Crane Creek.

CA-MRP-1146

Site consists of a sparse scatter of obsidian and chert debitage on a ridge slope above Crane Creek.

CA-MRP-1147H

Site consists of remains of two historic structures and a sparse scatter of historic bottles, ceramics, cans and other items on a gentle slope above Crane Creek.

CA-MRP-1151

Site consists of one stationary milling feature with a total of six mortar cups in and directly adjacent to Crane Creek.

CA-MRP-1397

site consists of two granite milling features with a total of six cups and a milling slick; a moderately dense tool and debitage scatter composed mainly of obsidian; and several portable groundstone artifacts.

YOSE1998I-1

site consists of can, ceramic and glass scatter.

YOSE1998I-2

site consists of can, ceramic and glass scatter; one possible historic house site.

FIRE PROTECTION MEASURES

| | | | |

|Resource (inside) |Description |Treatment |Effect |

| | | | |

|CA-MRP-3/144/153/349/H |BRM, lithic scatter historic cemetery, | | |

| |Barns, forage | | |

| | | | |

|CA-MRP-346 |lithic scatter | | |

| | | | |

|CA-MRP-350 |BRM, lithic Scatter, historic scatter |Fireline moved off site |new feature recorded, 45% of site |

| | | |burned over |

| | | | |

|CA-MRP-1146 |BRM, lithic scatter, portable groundstone | | |

| | | | |

|CA-MRP-1397 |BRM, lithic scatter | | |

| | | | |

|YOSE98F-1 | |Fireline placed in existing trail|90% of site burned over, new |

| | | |artifacts and feature recorded |

| | | | |

|YOSE98F-2 | | |Burn piles placed on the site |

1) Surveyed the proposed new fire lines.

a. Recorded one new historic site YOSE1998I-1 (1900-1930).

b. Reroute southern end of fire line around site MRP-350.

2) Located recorded sites and began a list of specific concerns for each site.

CA-MRP-3/144/153/349H;

They are thinking of putting a fire line around the cemetery. I told Jeff, I have a problem with that and we would have to come up with another way to protect the cemetery.

Around the cemetery a light hand line down to soil would be ok or we will need to work out another type of protective measure, other than a fire line.

CA-MRP-346H

The site badly needs to be remapped to add Paul=s extension, the historics by the unnamed creek and on the hill, to show the ARPA Impact, the historics to the east and the Anew@ BRM. There are no major concerns regarding the impact of fire.

There are no major concerns regarding the impact of fire if burn piles are not placed on the site.

CA-MRP-350

1. Use of the pull out - Flag it off so that it does not expand.

2. Fire line to gate. Gate is in the site can we reroute the fire line outside of the site. Is there to be a line between the road and Crane Creek? If so the line needs to be west or east of the site.

3. Feature 4 recorded

Datum is untagged and I will retag.

CA-MRP-1146

Due to a miscommunication, this site was heavily impacted by last years pile burning. I counted 12 burn piles on the site. It is recommending that the burn piles spots not be reused this year and that any new piles be off the site. Do not reuse burn piles locations, relocate the burn piles off the site.

CA-MRP-1147H The site is heavily impacted by downed trees and debris from the flood. It was hard to figure out what all has happened to the site. There has been pile burning on the site, and a Porta Potty, and a fiberglass tub are on the site. It appears that logs have been dragged across the site. Over all it is a mess with all the debris. I could not locate the datum and am unsure if I located feature 2 or not. The site is so trashed now I do not think anything can make it worse.

Post burn it might be easier to locate the site boundaries.

There are no major concerns regarding the impact of fire if burn piles are not placed on the site.

CA-MRP-1151

3. Three large tree falls on the bedrock mortar need to be removed.

Datum is untagged and I will retag.

CA-MRP-1397 There are no major concerns regarding the impact of fire if burn piles are not placed on the site. no logs on BRMs

Historic bricks ALIVERMORE@ (1910-1935) and ASTOCKTON@ (1921 or 1927-1942) were noted and need to be added to site forms.

The only major concern is the possible use of fire lines to protect the houses on the site.

YOSE1998I-1

4. Do not expand existing fire line

5. Move new flagged line off site.

6. I told Jeff to leave artifacts were found when they are clearing the fire line.

References

Anonymous

1996 Big Meadow Yosemite National Park Cultural Landscape Report, Cultural Resources Division, Western Region, Yosemite, California

Hull, Kathleen

1991 Archeological Survey and Post-Fire Surface Evaluation of the Foresta, Big Meadow, and McCauley Meadow Areas, Yosemite National Park, California, Yosemite Research Center, Publications in Anthropology No. 11.

Sargent, Shirley

1983 Yosemite’s Rustic Outpost: Foresta Big Meadow, Flying Spur Press, Yosemite, CA

Bennyhoff, James A.,

1956 An Appraisal of the Archaeological Resources of Yosemite National Park

Napton, L. Kyle and Greathouse, Elizabeth Anne

1976 Archeological Investigations in Yosemite National Park, California

Hull, Kathleen

1991 Archeological Survey and Post-Fire Surface Evaluation of the Foresta, Big Meadow, and McCauley Meadow Areas, Yosemite National Park, California, Yosemite Research Center, Publications in Anthropology No. 11.

Mundy, W. Joseph

1991 Arch Rock Complex Archeological Summary (YOSE 90I)

Big Meadow Yosemite National Park Cultural Landscape Report, 1996,Cultural Resources Division, Western Region, Yosemite, California

Parks, Virginia M.

1991 1990 Yosemite Fire Salvage Timber Sale Surveys: Mariposa Grove, Wawona Road, Glacier Point Road, Big Oak Flat Road, Foresta Road, Old Coulterville Road and Tioga Road (YOSE 1990J)

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