YOSEMITE BURNING by Zina Abbott

Today marks the one month anniversary of the Ferguson Fire that started July 13, 2018 near El Portal, just west of Yosemite National Park. 

July 14, 2018- Fire above Merced River taken from around El Portal, Califirnia

As of today, it has burned 96,457 acres with 86% containment and 1,020 personnel that are currently engaged on the fire which include 69 engines, 6 water tenders, 5 helicopters, 16 crews, 2 masticator and 14 dozers. 

There have been 19 firefighter injuries reported. The two fatalities on the fire were HFEO Braden Varney was killed in a dozer rollover accident on July 14, and Brian Hughes, Arrowhead Hotshot Captain who lost his life on July 29 when he was struck by a tree during a firing operation.

10 structures have been destroyed. With summer daytime temperatures in the triple digits most of the month this fire has been fought, it has been a hot fire fight in more ways than one.

Photo taken August 1, 2018, ctsy Team Rubicon, US Forest Service

The Ferguson Fire is now the largest fire in the Sierra National Forest's History. This fire is being managed as a full suppression fire. Although it started outside Yosemite National Park, it burned into the park and even threatened Yosemite Valley, one of the main tourist centers of the park. All roads except the one over Tioga Pass were closed for weeks. The park has been closed to visitors,  although it is scheduled to reopen tomorrow even though there will still be firefighters working in the area. Wawona and Mariposa Grove reopened today.

It will probably go down as the second biggest fire in Yosemite history. The largest was the Rim Fire of 2013 that burned 257,314 acres.

How was fire management started in national parks such as Yosemite National Park?

The 19th century was a period of rapid western expansion for America and the general rule was to transfer the public domain (Federal land) into private ownership. But a growing number of Americans wanted to see the Federal Government withdraw certain tracts of the public domain from private settlement and manage the areas in trust for present and future generations.

Two parallel movements emerged to address the disposition of the public domain. One was the drive to "preserve" the Nation's natural wonders from privatization. The other was to "conserve" the Nation's storehouse of lumber trees. The first could be said to have started in 1864 when the United States Government gifted the Yosemite Grant and Mariposa Grove to the State of California. In 1866, the California State Legislature accepted this land grant with the understanding that the areas were to be managed for the benefit of present and future generations. Although it was a State park, these two grants signaled the beginning of a federal park program.

 

Guide near large tree in Mariposa Grove-Yosemite Park

The advent of a true national park system came with the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 in Wyoming, some 18 years before Yosemite itself became a national park.

The United States Army was assigned the responsibility to patrol and protect Yosemite and Sequoia national parks between 1891 and 1913, and, in that capacity, it helped create a model for park management as we know it today. These army troops were garrisoned at the Presidio of San Francisco during the winter months and served in the Sierra only during the summer months. African-American troops of the 24th Infantry and 9th Cavalry protected both Yosemite and Sequoia national parks in 1899, 1903, and 1904. 

Buffalo Soldiers of the 124th Infantry Division in Yosemite 1899

The Army's role included the detection and suppression of wildfire within park boundaries. This was no small task considering the size of the sanctuary, the crude equipment at hand, and the few troops that were assigned. Even though the U.S. Cavalry was a far cry from the wildland fire profession of today, they nonetheless represented the beginning of a Federal wildland fire protection program.

Bernhard Fernow, Division of Forestry Chief from 1886 to 1898, endorsed the creation of forest reserves and pointed out the need to transfer control of these lands from the General Land Office to the Department of Agriculture. This would insure that government foresters would have the leverage needed to enforce proper timber management practices. Fernow even drafted an organizational scheme that included the idea that "rangers" would be in charge of the smallest administrative units. Stiff opposition against creating federal reserves was overcome in 1891 when Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act. The President was given the authorization to permanently withdraw from the public domain, forestlands he deemed of national importance.

Fire near Mariposa Pines-ctsy U.S. Forest Service

Fernow's efforts to wrestle control of the Forest Reserves from the Department of Interior fell to his successor, Gifford Pinchot, who is considered the "father" of the Forest Service. He served as Chief Forester from 1898 to 1910. His close friendship with President Theodore Roosevelt undoubtedly played a key role in the latter's executive order, of early 1905, which transferred the growing collection of Forest Reserves from the Interior Department to the Department of Agriculture. Within a few weeks of Roosevelt's order, Pinchot reorganized the Agriculture Department's Bureau of Forestry into the United States Forest Service. In 1907, the Forest Reserves were renamed National Forests.

The U.S. Forest Service became the Nation's primary instrument, for protecting natural resources on Federal land from fire and from timber exploitation. In the teens the National Park Service was established, and charged with protecting the Nation's scenic wonders.

Please give all firefighters battling fires across the North American continent your prayers and well-wishes that they will stay safe as they protect the forests, homes, and lives of our citizens. As you can see from the photo below, the high number of dead trees due to a bark beetle infestation within the last several years has not helped.

 

Burning operations behind Jerseydale Ranger Statioon July 27, 2018-ctsy Kari Greer, US Forest Service

Many of my stories, including my Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series set near Lundy and Bridgeport east of Yosemite National Park, are set in the Sierra Nevada Mountain area on both the east and the west slopes. To see all my published books on Amazon, please CLICK HERE.

Below are photos from the public domain of the brave firefighters of today who have been battling the Ferguson Fire in Yosemite National Park this past month. They are not out of the woods – and we in the San Joaquin Valley are not out of the smoke caused by this fire – yet.

 

7-24-18 crew at helibase Round Valley-Bald Mountain-ctsy Ian Cosenza, US Forest Service

 

Arrowhead IHC crew members crossing Merced River to get to fire ctsy US Forest Service

Arroyo Grande Hotshots July 31, 2018 ctsy Team Rubicon, US Forest Serv

Cal Fire Gulf Crews July 26, 2018 ctsy Kari Greer, US Forest Service

Chumash Engine 802 firefighter cooling edge July 28, 2018 ctsy Kari Greer, US Forest Service

Dalton Hotshots July 26, 2018 ctsy Kari Greer, US Forest Service

Greyback Forestry July 31, 2018 ctsy Team Rubicon, US Forest Service

Hotshots working the line July 28, 2018 ctsy US Forest Service

July 23, 2018 Ctsy Kari Greer, US Forest Service

Swampers Burden July 30, 2018 ctsy Team Rubicon, US Forest Service

Tahoe Hotshot lighting burn operation July 28, 2018 ctsy Kari Greer, US Forest Serv

Taken July 27, 2018, ctsy Kari Greer, U.S. Forest Service

Sources:

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article216541120.html#storylink=cpy

https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/382070/86-percent-containment-on-ferguson-fire.html

https://sierranewsonline.com/good-progress-overnight-on-ferguson-fire-now-86-percent-contained/

http://www.calfire.ca.gov/about/about_calfire_history

https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/buffalo-soldiers.htm

https://www.scpr.org/news/2013/08/26/38893/rim-fire-one-of-top-10-largest-fires-in-yosemite-h/

Archie C. Leonard Early Yosemite Park Ranger

Yosemite was created a National Park on October 1, 1890. Each year between 1891 and 1913, the War Department sent troops of cavalry into Yosemite National Park on patrol duty. Sequoia and Yellowstone Parks also received military protection.

The Army Officer in charge acted as the Superintendent of the Park. The troops would arrive in May and leave about October, returning to the Presidio of San Francisco. Captain A. E. Wood was in Command of the first Troops assigned to Yosemite. Captain Wood, in command of two Troops of Cavalry, Companies I and K arrived in Yosemite May 19, 1891, and set up camp at Wawona.

During the Spanish American War in 1898 the U.S. Troops assigned to Yosemite were recalled to the Presidio. The protection of the Parks, until the Troops could again assume their duties, was assigned to the General Land Office of the U.S. Department of the Interior. A Special Land Inspector was made Acting Superintendent of three Parks. He employed assistant forest agents during the summer to eject sheep trespass and fight forest fires. The General Land Office therefore became involved in the early administration of both the National Parks and the Forest Reserves in California.

 

Original Park Rangers posing by Yosemite Falls, Archie C. Leonard is on far right.

By June 25, 1898, Special Inspector J. W. Zevely of the General Land Office had hired eleven men from the Yosemite region to be temporary Forest Agents. These men were assigned to two special agents. Special Agent A. W. Buick was in charge of five men: The men were, Archie C. Leonard, George R. Byde, Henry A. Skelton, Charles A. Leidig, Arthur L. Thurman, and they took over the northern part of Yosemite. Special Agent Cullom was given six men: George G. MacKenzie, Thomas S. Carter, David Lackton, Darwin S. Lewis, Joel J. Westfall, Joseph R. Borden, and this group were assigned to the southern part of Yosemite.

Two months later on August 25, 1898, the U.S. Troops returned to the Park, and the Forest Agents were relieved of their duties. However, in September of that year, the Acting Superintendent received authorization to appoint forest rangers at fifty dollars a month for temporary service. These men were to assist the Troops on their patrols. Two forest agents, Archie Leonard and Charles Leidig were hired at that time. In the late fall when the Troops were preparing to leave Yosemite, it was recommended that the two forest agents be kept on for the winter to protect the Park. This was authorized and they remained on as rangers for many years.

The Army reports to the Secretary of the Interior referred to these rangers as “Park Rangers.” This was probably the first usage of the “Park Ranger" title. The forest rangers in California National Parks, officially became park rangers in 1905. 

Archibald Campbell Leonard

Archie was born in West Virginia in 1846. He came across the Plains with his parents, Owen (born in Ireland) and Sarah (born in Scotland) during the latter part of the gold rush period and the family settled in the Mother Lode Country. The 1860 census lists him as twelve years old living with his parents (father and oldest brother worked as miners) and six siblings in Jamestown, Tuolumne County, California. As he grew older, he worked around Jamestown as a miner for a few years. In the 1880’s he came to Yosemite and worked a while for the Washburns in Wawona as a ranch foreman. 

In 1881 he married Susan M. Laurence, the daughter of James Laurence, born in Arkansas, and Telefina “Pa-nah-hah” Dick, a Southern Miwok whose family had lived in the Mariposa/Yosemite Valley region for generations.

The above picture shows on the far left Susan as a young girl holding a rifle. Next to her is her brother Johnny who is holding the violin. On the right are two Dick cousins. The Miwoks by tradition did not use surnames. Once they came in contact with Europeans who expected a surname, they used the European first name of an ancestor as their surname.

On September 23, 1898, Archie was one of the two local men appointed as Assistant Special Forest Agents who made up the first civilian protection force for the Yosemite National Park. He was assigned to patrol the southern part of the Park which was not far from his home in Wawona.

 

1899-About 40 soldiers of the Sixth Cavalry, Troop F in Yosemite Park

When the U. S. Troops came in to take over the protection of the Park, he was assigned as scout and guide for the Troops during the summer months. He reported to the Commanding, Officer at Camp A. E. Wood, and was given instructions to handle the sheepmen in a tough manner. Orders were to scatter the sheep, take off the bells and bring in the herders and sheepmen to headquarters. There was a great deal of trouble over the trespass of grazing in the Park.

During the winter months when the U. S. Troops were out of the Park, Archie and Charles Leidig, took over the responsibilities of patrolling and keeping law and order until the troops returned the next summer.

Allan Sproul, a seasonal ranger assigned to the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees in the year 1914, says this about Archie.

“Archie was not very communicative but he was always pleasant, and I should say tolerant of the college boy rangers. He knew the Park from years of travel over the trails. His hair was gray and rather long and his mustache drooped, his uniform consisted of a dirty slouch hat, a grayish colored shirt, which wouldn’t show the dirt of a season, and overalls worn low on the belt. He spoke in a soft voice and had a pleasant smile.”

 

Archie C. Leonard, one of two Park Rangers with President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903.

Archie was one of two park rangers that served as guides and guards for President Theodore Roosevelt when he visited the Yosemite Park in May 1903. To read more about President Theodore Roosevelt’s visit to Yosemite National Park, CLICK HERE.

Susan and Archie C. Leonard

In 1917, changes took place on the ranger force. Due to his advancing age, Archie could no longer handle full time ranger duties. He was changed from a permanent park ranger to a temporary first class ranger. This reduction in status occurred in September, and two months later he was furloughed. He was not recalled to service in the Park in 1918,  but was discontinued with out prejudice from the Yosemite Ranger Force. He died in Stockton, California in 1921 at the age of 75.

According to family tradition, Archie and Susan homesteaded land in the vicinity of the Hetch-Hetchy Valley on the west side of Yosemite National Park. After Archie died, the state of California decided it wanted to dam the Tuolumne River through this valley. Archie and Susan were married according to “Indian custom.” Even though the family shows up on census and other records, the marriage was not filed in the county courthouse. Native tribes in California were beaten back and not given much consideration in the courts in the early part of the twentieth century. With Susan being half Miwok and her children being quarter Miwok, they fought an uphill battle.  California declared the children unable to inherit and grabbed the land from them for the dam project which today provides power for Pacific Gas & Electric.

 

Hetch-Hetchy Valley before the 1923 dam.

I give sincere thanks and appreciation to Lucille Davenport and Joyce Hammer, descendants of Archie C. and Susan M. Laurence Leonard, for providing the family information to me and for giving me permission to share the story of their ancestors.

Sources:
1.  Family records of the descendants of Archibald Campbell Leonard and Susan M. Laurence [Laurance] Leonard.

2.  http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/guardians_of_the_yosemite/history.html

3.  Wikipedia

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Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols who lives near the “Gateway to Yosemite” for her historical novels. The first four novellas in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, Big Meadows Valentine,  A Resurrected Heart, Her Independent Spirit, and Haunted by Love are now available.