Consulting, site management and excavation for victims of wildfire disasters.
Our work is twofold: to reunite clients with surviving items, and to collect data and records that offer better insight into fire behavior and insulating factors for recovery. All results offer constructive information to present our work as a necessary part of recovery, with hopes that funding and deployment will soon become an integrated part of county, state, and federal processes.
Working to recover and return surviving items within debris.
We encourage hope in recovering items because we’ve seen what can be found. We take great care to locate and repatriate your items, and work with you to make sure we can focus our efforts on areas of highest concern.
From coin collections and ceramics, to diamond rings, antiques, and occasional photos or books, we’ve managed to find and send home items that have become even more treasured to victims. In many senses, we understand how this form of recovery can aid cognitive stresses, offering answers, peace, and closure.
Would you like more information, or do you have a work request? Please get in touch!
Recovery Archaeology in News and Publications
Even the ashes of late loved ones were lost in Paradise. Enter archaeologists and canines
Institute of Canine Forensics – “‘Camp Fire’ Cremains Recovery 2019
URI exhibit explores memorials left at Station nightclub fire site
The Disaster Context of Bam (SE Iran) and its Conditions:
A Context neither Static nor Dynamic
With meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to helping make our clients as whole as possible, we offer services based in forensic methodology to reunite items with their owners.
Press Inquiries? Send us a message HERE.
Current Park Fire Information
The Phase 2 cleanup process has begun, and residents have been provided ROEs to submit to Butte County/Cal OES to opt in to the State Led Debris Removal Program.
Click Here for the Butte County Phase 2 Information Page
Click Here for the Butte County ROE Form
There is a lot of information to be navigated throughout the Debris Cleanup process. One of the best sources of information comes from CalRecycle, who will be heading the process in Phase 2 for the Park Fire.
Our work is entirely self-funded, and funded by generous donations from our community, and never by victims and clients. If you would like to help us continue doing this work, it would be greatly appreciated.
What Happens Next?
What happens when a site is ready to be entered? What are the hazards, considerations, and possibilities?
Pages Coming Soon!
Why Act Quickly?
How some sites take priority, while all sites deserve to be recovered.
Can It Survive?
What comes out of sites, and how could it have survived?
Hazards and Features
What to know about the risks of entering recovery areas following a wildfire.
Why Methodology is Key
Why we propose different methods of recovery and tailor them to client’s needs.
FAQs
What is your process working in smaller projects?
WFRA works primarily in small, residential sites and footprints. As debris, ash, and hazards can affect the landscape, ecosystem, waterways, and general health of the community, all site work must be done in situ. A few methodologies for this work can be implemented: A sweep of the area within the footprint can be completed to look for less specific items, while a site search can be done when requested items are asked to be located. In either sense, debris must be removed in layers, and we work to identify areas where debris can be moved to permanently, or temporarily, while we work to recover your items.
Our 2-1-3-4 method implements a “Move left, work right” process of moving large debris in confined areas, while in other situations, it is possible to lift debris in place, or move it to another already affected area on site. Whatever the case, working with any contaminates should not risk expanding the footprint or hazardous area, which could jeopardize allotted funding for residents.
Who is behind WFRA?
WFRA was started by Amanda Smith, a recovery archaeologist who has been involved in volunteer work for multiple fires since 2017. The primary goal of this work, aside from repatriating items and assisting victims in humanitarian work, is to record data and ethnographic research from these fires to establish a body of work supporting propositions at county, state, and federal levels to fund this work as a necessary function of the Cleanup and Debris Removal Programs.
Speaking of funding, would you be able to help us keep this work going at no charge to victims? We’d appreciate it! Donate HERE
Can I apply to be a part of the team?
Volunteers over the age of 18, with interest in contributing to research while participating in hands-on methodology work and excavations are welcome to apply for on-site training. Students of all educational backgrounds are encouraged to participate, as this work is not limited to one educational factor, and can serve to expand considerations in various degree work. Letters of Recommendation are offered to participants who excel on site and in data collection.
Why Pink?
The largest portion of our work involves getting to know, and listen to our clients. We learn about your situation, what you need, and what you hope to recover.
We also understand that adults are not the only victims of disasters, and helping kids find comfort and safety in what we do matters. We wear pink to be bright and visible, and to support kids who have questions, would like to add to our study, or who enjoy looking a little fancy while working in the dirt.
Special thanks to Aili and Violet. “On Dig Days, we wear PINK!”
We appreciate and support the following organizations, and thank them for their dedication to community services.
