Seeing wildfire in Indian Country is both frightening and fascinating. When fire threatens life, property or cultural resources, the results can be tragic. When wildfire is not a threat, it can be fascinating and an effective process for restoring and sustaining cultural landscapes. That is why federal agencies work with tribes to put plans in place for using wildland fire for management action or suppression. These plans protect trust assets and Indian communities.

The 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy mandates that a fire-management plan be in place for every burnable acre. Because fire can be so controversial in the public’s eye, most tribal councils or their natural-resource planning staffs are involved in developing fire-management plans.

Burning landscapes is not new to Indian people; they used fire extensively for a variety of purposes. Today, reintroduction of fire to restore cultural landscapes is more science-based. Fire-management specialists have extensive training and education in prescribed fire, wildfire suppression, and the use of wildfire to meet resource benefits. These skill sets help assure the effective management and protection of trust assets and the fulfillment of tribal-resource objectives.

Whenever trust assets are involved, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians is paying attention. To learn more about protecting tribal assets, contact Dalan Romero, with Fire Operations for the BIA at the National Interagency Fire Center, on (208) 387-5372.