News by Year

Learning how to write key messages and using those messages in the right context and platform can be tricky. That is why the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma sponsored “Getting Your Message Out, Wildland Fire Prevention Key Message Training for Indian Country.” Date: 12/01/18

Many Tribes conduct frequent vegetation treatments in and around their communities as a means of protecting their homes, resources and other values from the damaging effects of wildfires. For scientists wishing to prove the effectiveness of these treatments, collecting documentation can be difficult. This is because ecologists can only evaluate treatments after a randomly occurring wildfire burns the treated area. New developments in the Department of the Interior Fire Treatment Effectiveness Model (FTEM) may help overcome this challenge. Date: 11/01/18

On August 2, 2018, Fire Commissioners from each of the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission Compact (NFFPC) approved the Bureau of Indian Affairs request to allow Tribes and agencies in Eastern Region to become members to NFFPC. Date: 08/02/18

On July 10, all Branch of Wildland Fire Management staff attended a Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) in Boise, ID. The training was designed to give staff a deeper understanding into how to support regions and agencies with dealing with serious incidents while giving staff skills to manage stressful work environments. Date: 07/01/18

On July 10, 2018 firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon District and Bureau of Indian Affairs, Umatilla Agency, gathered near Meacham, Oregon for a unique training opportunity with the Oregon National Guard. 30 firefighters were on scene to participate in an interagency training session with Guard members using their Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter, a large helicopter used for transporting water during wildfire suppression activities. Date: 07/01/18

Red Lake Reservation, located in the northern reaches of Minnesota, is home to the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians. In May 2018, the Red Lake Helitack module assisted the Tribe with completing a 41,000 acre vegetation management project designed to thin the forest understory and restore the forest ecosystem. Date: 06/01/18

On July 25, 2008 a felling accident occurred on the Eagle Fire of the Iron Complex located on the Shasta Trinity National Forest. This accident, commonly known as the Dutch Creek Serious Accident, killed firefighter Andrew “Andy” Palmer and forever changed how the wildland fire community prepares for and responds to medical incidents. Date: 06/01/18

In the spring of 2018, BIA began advertising student internship positions to work in the BIA, Office of Trust Services Pathways Internship Program. After receiving a healthy number of applicants, BIA selected seven interns for the 2018 year to explore careers in wildland fire management. Date: 06/01/18

During the week of June 23, regional fire management staff from Eastern and Midwestern regions completed a basic Wildland Firefighting Training school, (S-130,190, I-100, L-180) at the Passamaquoddy Tribal Government- Indian Township in Maine. Date: 06/01/18

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has named Josh Simmons as the new Director of Fire Operations for the Branch of Wildland Fire Management. Simmons succeeds Dalan Romero, who retired at the end of 2017. Date: 04/01/18

Each year within the Department of the Interior, the Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) manages nearly $1 billion in funding and coordinates its distribution to the four bureaus (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service), which conduct wildland fire management services that protect, restore, and manage our nation’s treasured landscapes. Of the nearly 70,000 employees of the Department, approximately 5,000 of them are wildland firefighters. Facing a changing and complex landscape that will have even greater demands in the future, our workforce must be as aggressive and dynamic as the landscape they will be managing over the next 100 years. Date: 02/01/18

On June 15, 2016 the Cedar Fire started on Fort Apache Indian Reservation, southwest of Show Low, Arizona. Nearly 72 square miles of invaluable resources burned before the fire was finally contained on July 1, 2016. Date: 01/01/18

In 2016, regional and national BIA fire leaders identified several challenges facing Indian Country’s wildland fire management program. Of key concern is Indian’ Country’s commitment to build sustainable fire management leadership. Date: 01/01/18