Federal Emergency Projects
From the Pan into the Fire, Emergency Data Recovery at the Pan Hot Springs Site, San Bernardino National Forest, California
Type of Services:
Archaeology survey and data recovery
Client and Contact Information:
Douglas C. McKay
USDA Forest Service
San Bernardino National Forest
28104 Highway 18
Skyforest, CA 92385-0350
Phone: (909) 382-2782
Approximate Cost:
$220,000.00
In Late October 2003, a fast-moving wildfire burned up the south slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California. During fire suppression efforts, previously recorded archaeological site, CA-SBR-935/H, was damaged by a bulldozed contingency fire-control line. To address the effects of fire suppression and to mitigate the potential future effects of maintaining a fuel break in the area, San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) contracted with SRI in November of that year to conduct emergency archaeological investigations at the site.
SRI quickly responded to the SBNF request and immediately sent an excavation crew to the site. Field work involved excavating 30 backhoe trenches and 11 hand excavated test pits, followed by mechanical stripping of broad exposures within the area of potential effects (APE) and hand excavation of large blocks to recover features found during stripping. Excavation revealed extensive intact deposits and features related to the repeated seasonal use of the area for plant procurement and processing. The majority of features at the site indicate a very-late-prehistoric to early-historical-period occupation. Deeper deposits may date to the end of the Gypsum period.
The archaeological investigations demonstrated that important cultural remains are preserved at the site. SRI recommended that SBNF develop and utilize better mapping and geographic-information-system tools so that additional areas of the site will not be damaged if the APE is maintained as a permanent fuel break. SRI further recommended that SBNF develop and implement a long-term management plan in consultation with affected Native American tribes to address issues regarding ongoing impacts from recreational use of the site areas on SBNF lands.
