Fire Effects at the Honda Ridge Rock Art Site, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

As California wildfires increase in intensity and frequency across the state, archaeologists and land managers work to update fire management strategies and reassess fire risks to sensitive cultural resources. Existing literature indicates that while some buried archaeological resources are fairly protected, rock art sites are particularly susceptible to wildfire effects. Vandenberg AFB has collaborative pre- and post-fire management plans specific to each rock art site. In September 2016, the Canyon Fire burned approximately 12,742 acres within Vandenberg AFB. High winds and dry conditions swept the fire over the Honda Ridge rock art site, burning the interpretive infrastructure and visibly impacting the northeastern pictograph panel. This poster presents the collaborative observations of fire impacts to the rock art, shares the refined pre- and post-fire management strategies, and demonstrates the resilience of the pictographs and overall rock art site.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 26007