WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Carl J. Artman met Tuesday with officials from several Southern California tribes from reservations burned in the Poomacha, Witch and Harris fires. Over the past week, these fires have raged across thousands of acres on their reservations. The tribal leaders were attending a multi-agency coordination meeting of federal and state agencies, which the Bureau of Indian Affairs organized. The meeting took place on the Rincon Indian Reservation, one of the most severely impacted communities. Artman visited some of the burned areas on that reservation.

“I want to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the federal, state, county and tribal agencies and nongovernmental organizations that have joined our efforts to assist these tribes in their hour of need,” Artman said. “I also want to assure the tribal leaders whose reservations have been impacted by the fire emergency that the BIA and its partners will continue to assist with their recovery efforts.”

Seventy-two employees from the BIA’s Southern California agency in Riverside and Pacific Regional Office in Sacramento, including social workers and those specializing in tribal operations, natural resources and realty, have been working closely with other federal, state and tribal agencies to assist displaced individuals and families with applying for relief assistance.

Since Oct. 29, the BIA has received more than 800 applications for assistance from single-family Indian households and individuals, many of whom are on moderate-to-low and fixed incomes, for basic living needs such as food, clothing and temporary shelter. Approximately $600,000 in emergency assistance funds have been made available for disbursement to eligible recipients.

In addition, to the Poomacha fire alone, BIA has dispatched more than 200 of its firefighters. At only 70 percent contained, this fire remains a serious threat to the La Jolla Reservation. The Witch and Harris fires are 99 percent and 100 percent contained, respectively.

“I want to commend the employees of the BIA’s Southern California Agency and Pacific Regional Office and other BIA regions who responded so quickly and effectively to this emergency,” Artman said. “Their diligence in the performance of their duties during so difficult a time best exemplifies the BIA’s mission of service to the tribes.”

Tribes from both in and out of state also provided fire crews and equipment to fight the fires. The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation in California and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon each sent a hotshot fire crew. Fire trucks sent from the Warm Springs Tribes, the Chippewa-Cree Tribe in Montana and the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Arizona joined equipment provided by 11 of Southern California’s 18 tribes.

The La Jolla Band of Luiseno Mission Indians and the Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission Indians have suffered the most severe damage from the Poomacha fire. The La Jolla reservation has lost 59 of its residential homes; the Rincon reservation has lost 65 homes and its historic chapel. In and around the Rincon reservation, both Indian and non-Indian residents have been coping with lost homes, clogged or closed roads, power outages, lack of potable water, downed telephone lines, as well as health concerns from dead or dying animals and the fires’ impact on air and water quality.

Other tribes that have experienced fire damage and the displacement of tribal members include the Pauma-Yuima Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, the Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians, the Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueno Mission Indians and the San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians.

The Poomacha fire has burned approximately 19,748 acres on the La Jolla (8,679 acres), Pauma-Yuima (5,360 acres), Rincon (3,585 acres), Pala (2,118 acres) and San Pasqual (6 acres) reservations. The Witch fire has burned approximately 10,481 acres on the Barona, Capitan Grande, Inaja-Cosmit, Mesa Grande and Santa Ysabel reservations. The Harris fire burned one acre on the Jamul Reservation.