Forest Service Tasks GeomorphIS to Conduct Cultural Evaluation of Dixie Fire Burned Sites on Plumas NF, CA

The USDA Forest Service (USFS) has issued GeomorphIS a task order under our Land Management Integrated Resources (LMIR), Blanket Purchase Order (BPA) to conduct archaeological and historic evaluations for the Dixie Fire Burned Structures and Equipment Sites Project to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470) and procedures of the Advisory Council of Historic Preservation outlined within 36 CFR 800. The Project consists of 14 sites, in various locations on National Forest System (NFS) lands managed by the Mount Hough Ranger District (MHRD) of the Plumas National Forest (PNF). The 2021 Dixie Fire went through 12 previously recorded archaeological sites and two possible unrecorded sites that need to be evaluated for National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility for a hazardous material (HazMat) cleanup to occur. A GeomorphIS-Bargas Environmental team will survey each site to define the boundaries of the site and any new features, structures, concentrations, etc. that may have been exposed by the fire. All sites will receive a new archaeological site record following the survey. For sites that still retain standing, and undamaged structures, an architectural evaluation is required. The GeomorphIS team will determine if the sites require a standard evaluation or a Consensus or Expedited Determination of Eligibility. Due to the potential hazards associated with each of the sites, all field crew members will be certified with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER).