The Archaeology of Fire & Water.

Synopsis: Back in May I attended Archaeology Roadshow 2026: The Archaeology of Fire & Water — a public archaeology event exploring fire and water history, land stewardship, and recovery. Met a wide range of organizations doing great work in the region — more at archaeologyroadshow.org.

Back on May 30th I attended Archaeology Roadshow 2026: The Archaeology of Fire & Water, a public archaeology event exploring the role fire and water have played in land history, stewardship, and recovery. The “roadshow” format brings archaeology out of the lecture hall and into a more hands-on, public-facing space — something I always appreciate. More on the event itself at archaeologyroadshow.org.

A real highlight of the day was the range of organizations present. A quick rundown, if you want to look any of them up yourself:

• Oregon Archaeological Society (OAS) — A long-running organization supporting archaeological research and education across Oregon.
• Warm Springs GeoVisions — A geospatial and visualization group connected to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
• Geological Society of the Oregon Country (GSOC) — Based at PSU, with regular field trips and a Friday lecture series open to the public; I went on a GSOC field trip to Mary’s Peak more than twenty years ago and still remember it well.
• Jim Pepper Native Arts Council — Runs music festivals and education curriculum centered on Native arts.
• Dudek — An environmental and cultural resource consulting firm.
• BPA Tribal Affairs / FCRPS Cultural Resource Program — Works on cultural resource issues connected to the Federal Columbia River Power System.
• Fort Vancouver National Historic Site — A National Park Service site with deep ties to Pacific Northwest fur trade and settlement history.
• Rocky Butte Preservation Society — Works to preserve the WPA-era stonework at Rocky Butte in Portland, including hosting the Tunnel Concert series.
• Oregon Heritage / SHPO — Oregon’s State Historic Preservation Office, supporting heritage grants and publishing the Oregon Archaeology Bulletin.
• Hellenic-American Cultural Center & Museum (HACCM) — A Portland-area museum preserving Greek-American history and culture.
• Columbia River Gorge Basketry Guild Workshop — A regional basketry guild with an upcoming workshop at Fort Vancouver on August 1st.

A short note for now, but fire, water, land stewardship, and Indigenous ecological knowledge are themes I expect to keep returning to.