BlockBefore

Ralston, California

33 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1891 and the latest in 2000. It stands in the Foresthill-Back Country census division. It lies near Long Canyon. The Survey maps it on the Michigan Bluff quadrangle. It stands 3,599 feet above sea level. The federal gazetteer marks this settlement historical: it is no longer a populated place, though the surveys that recorded it still are.

Ralston within Placer County

Then and now

1891 to 2000

The same ground, surveyed 109 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Ralston (historical), surveyed 2000
Topographic sheet of Ralston (historical), surveyed 1891

Compare 1891 against another survey:

Topographic sheets covering this place

13 surveys from 33 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

113 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 113 fires within 5 miles of Ralston (historical) between 1992 and 2020, burning about 10,746 acres in total. 21 started naturally. 5 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning35
Missing data/not specified/undetermined26
Natural21
Recreation and ceremony10
Equipment and vehicle use9
Power generation/transmission/distribution5
Arson/incendiarism5
Smoking1
Misuse of fire by a minor1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 1999Debris and open burningunder an acreEldorado National ForestRUBICON
5 September 2006Missing data/not specified/undetermined8,422 acresTahoe National ForestRALSTON
4 September 2002Debris and open burningunder an acreEldorado National ForestDUSTY
3 September 2018Recreation and ceremony1,120 acresTahoe National ForestNORTH
3 September 2012Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreEldorado National ForestBOOT
25 September 2011Naturalunder an acreEldorado National ForestDELLER
25 September 2000Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreTahoe National ForestLITTLE OAK
24 September 1993Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresEldorado National ForestDAD

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Placer County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 129 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 129 workings within 5 miles of Ralston (historical): 61 unknowns, 38 occurrences, 24 past producers, 5 producers. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Gold, Chromium, Silver, Tungsten. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
American BarGold, LeadPast ProducerGalena, Gold, Pyrite
Hills Armstrong Graphite DepositGraphiteProspect
Michigan Bluff DistrictGold, Platinum, Silver, Lead, Iron, Zinc, Copper, IndiumPast Producer1850
Unnamed LocationSulfurOccurrence
VolcanovilleIronUnknown
Volcanoville DepositIronOccurrence
BuckeyeTungstenProducer
RubiconTungstenOccurrence
RubiconTungstenUnknown
Chinaman's ChanceGold, SilverPast Producer

Every working recorded in Placer County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Michigan Bluff4.3 miles33
Zuver4.6 miles34
Four Acres6.0 miles33
Ramsey Crossing6.5 miles34
Bath (historical)6.6 miles33
Foresthill7.6 miles33
Last Chance7.8 miles29
Mayflower (historical)7.9 miles33

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikidata item Q7288355The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1701178. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.