As our world warms, natural disasters are becoming more common and more severe. They are also becoming more predictable. Hurricanes devastatingly damage homes and destroy valuable vegetation, and wildfires that quickly start can destroy important cultural resources. It is important to save lives and property during a natural disaster, but important archaeological and historic resources like monuments can be in danger.
It makes sense, then, that Texas commemorates the natural disasters that happen so frequently and the important preservation of cultural resources.
Cristin Embree is an archeologist who has specialized in working in wildfire-prone areas across the country, where she has seen how quickly firefighters respond to rumbling wildfires.
Embree has been able to go to some of the wildest parts of the United States, and to learn about some of the most unusual geological features in the country, but she admits that it can be very difficult to work non-stop, and it often involves quick decision making. There is not enough time to carefully study the geography or use a computer-aided planning system to help archaeologists locate important historic sites. Archaeologists must rely on their instincts and their training in order to look for clues that would lead them to the location of valuable historic and cultural resources.
Archeologists who find and report on historic and cultural sites are crucial in preventing serious damage. They also need to consult with local, state, and federal government officials or tribal contacts, and plan work that will be done after the fires have been slowed down to minimize the damage.
Although wildfires are devastating, they can help archaeologists find and preserve valuable historical and cultural resources like pottery and artifacts. S. Forest Service officials note that fires are destructive, but they are beneficial for archaeological sites. If something unexpected happens to a forest, it may be that it will not end up in the hands of the government. Fires are sometimes able to reveal ancient artifacts that have been hidden from view for centuries, thanks to the long lives of trees and other thickets.