After the 1996 fire archeologists found 372 previously unknown sites, mounds of rocks, pottery sherds, and depressions in the dirt where walls had once stood that had been covered by overgrown vegetation. The Bircher Fire was four times larger. Artifacts found tell stories of hunter-gatherers and farmers who lived on the mesas area built structures. Thirteen archeologists working with fire teams at times helped locate fire lines, but on other occasions could do little more than document the existence of a site. The two most recent fires had been subjects of scientific study.
Studies show that the two major vegetative types respond to fire in different ways.
Mountain shrublands of oak and serviceberry quickly re-sprout, recovering areas in just a few years. Pinyon and juniper forests are likely to be colonized by grasses and non-native plants such as thistle. It may take as long as 300 years before evergreen woodland is restored. It is exciting to find new archeological sites, but fire destroys vegetation that protected sites and suppression efforts can be destructive. The BAER Team will plan emergency measures to deal with soil erosion, road building and repair, threats to rare species, and protection of archeological sites.