One need only go to South Newbury Cemetery in Newbury Township, Geauga County, Ohio to see what burning in a cemetery will do. The sandstone monuments are blackened by the absorbed carbon into the stone and after a rain they turned a reddish color with orange streaks. Kind of like a burnt cinder. Other (granite) stones don't seem to be affected except where they have gotten hot, but it can't be good for them. All seem to be black in color to some extent. This happened 15 years ago when they burnt a tree, but if you know what you are looking for it is still evident today. There is no doubt in my mind that heat will crack a stone. Jon Andrews >From: "Sue Silver" <ssilver1951@jps.net> >Reply-To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com >To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Re: [INPCRP] [Fwd: Cemetery prairie management] >Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 07:20:02 -0700 > >Good morning, > >I have shortened this a little, but am responding to the paragraph on fire >damage to tombstones. > >I don't know when this procedure was put into place by the DNR, but I find >it very alarming that someone would make a determination that no damage is >done to something after the first or even second incident of burning, and >then declare no harm will be done. In the absence of any published >evidence >or study, this determination can not be made based on the information that >was available (ie visual assessment, tactile sensation...) > >In California, our environmental laws (and I use this often in reference >because it appears to be the only thing we have that addresses similar >issues) dictate that a "project" (usually land developement related) must >assess the LONG TERM EFFECT OR IMPACT upon the area being studied. In >environmental terms that would be, of course, air quality, traffic >circulation, etc. > >In this instance, without any concerted effort to study the EFFECTS OR >IMPACTS of annually burning grasses, weeds and shrubs adjacent to historic >memorial monuments of made of varying materials, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS >MAN TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION THAT HE DID. > >I would urge my Indiana friends to protest this planned burning of your >historic cemeteries on the basis that there is insufficient information or >study to support the assertion that no damage is being done to the stones. >It's just that simple... > >Sue Silver >CA > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Norman Bryant <nbryant@netdirect.net> >To: <INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 12:03 AM >Subject: [INPCRP] [Fwd: Cemetery prairie management] > > > > > Thought you would be interested in the reply from Mr. Swinford of DNR > > > > Pat, Indpls > > > > Dear Pat Bryant: > > > > Thank you for your interest in Indiana pioneer cemeteries. I work for >the > > Indiana Department of Natural Resources and am familiar with pioneer > > cemeteries managed for prairie in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. I will >try > > to answer your questions. > > > > >>>>>> Damage to headstones due to fire. I have been on literally >dozens >of fires > > on cemeteries. I needed to be personally convinced that no damage was > > coming to these old headstones through our prescribed fires. I can >report > > that these stones are cool to the touch immediately after the fast >moving > > grass fires have passed through. I have seen no evidence of cracking or > > smoke damage. > > > > Do not hesitate to contact me with further questions. > > > > Thomas O. Swinford > > Regional Ecologist > > IDNR, Div. of Nature Preserves > > 402 W. Washington St. Rm W267 > > Indianapolis IN 46204 > > 317/233-4849 > > tswinford@dnr.state.in.us > > > > > >==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== >To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of >"UNSUBSCRIBE" to INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com > or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version) > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp