Native Tribes Are Taking Fire Control Into Their Own Hands
Sometimes Vikki Preston is inching her way through the forest when she comes across a grove of tan oak trees that feels special. The plants are healthy, the trees are old, and their trunks are nicely spaced out on the forest floor. “You can feel that the grove has been taken care of,” she says. “There’s been a lot of love and thoughtfulness.”
Tan oak groves have long been tended by indigenous people who still live along the banks of the forested Klamath and Salmon Rivers near the California-Oregon border. Preston, a cultural resource technician for the Karuk tribe, grew up watching her grandfather tend just such a grove— by burning it . Fire helped cleared away small pines, alders, and willows. It killed pests like weevils that ruin acorns, and allowed for new, straight shoots of hazel to grow that can be used for basket-weaving. It left a forest sentineled with sugar pine and oaks, scattered with meadows full of wildflowers and ferns.
Such scenery is rare in the western US today, a result of 1911 federal legislation that made it illegal to ignite fires on public forest lands. That legislation curtailed centuries of forest management by the native Karuk, Yurok, and Hupa people, who had long lived in villages dotted throughout these forests; a 1918 US Forest Service ranger’s memo declared that “renegade Indian” fires were rooted in “pure cussedness.”
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Finally listening to the people that have tended this land for 10,000 years.
Hopefully, this program will spread to other parts of CA and the west in general.
There is another program that was started in 2015 on how the Mono Indians of the Sierra Nevada are teaching how to save and increase water supplies by taking out selected brush and trees. This program has increased water retention by 15%.
The introduction of non-native plants trees and grasses has been a disaster for our forests throughout the west and they have pushed OUT the indigenous species. This has resulted in loss of water retention, and overcrowding of the forests leading to what we are seeing today.
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NO POLITICS
Still too many people in CA for the water resources; but at least this is a step in the right direction since no one will ever talk about population control.
The water resources for the entire west is limited. It's not just California since one of the major contributors to water is the Colorado Rivers which supplies many western state and Mexico. The last report I read on it was that we are now taking out more water than the river can reproduce. That is a serious problem.
Overpopulation or population control is a surly part of the solution. But that is a horse of a different color.
Part of the problem is that most of CA. is a desert. I lived in SoCal for a couple of years when I was in the service, it rained....twice, and once was more of a heavy mist than actual rain. Not saying it's good bad or otherwise, it's just the way it is.
Out of the 164,000 square miles, about 25,000 is desert (16%); 45 percent is forested, and the rest mountains, grassland, lakes, rivers and cities. California has both the highest point (Mt Whitney)and the lowest point (Death Valley) in the contiguous 48 states.
So you see, we have less desert than you might think. Were you stationed at Ft. Irwin?
Paula - I "think" Frostie was/is USMC - but, I'll let him tell you his story .
Marine/desert either Barstow or 29 Palms.
Pendleton. Oceanside area.
I was at 29 palms too...got my first tat there.. But back then, it was a wide spot in the road.
Correct, U.S.M.C. (United Sanitation and Maintenance Company)
It's still a wide spot in the road.
Is it really? Crikey, figured it would have grown some by now...30 years later. We would just drive down to Palm Springs to party on the weekends... <sigh> Lots of good memories.
Actually the largest part of the state isn't desert at all, MrFrost. Although there is desert in the state the natural topography lends itself to wildfires. The southern part of the state is a semi-arid with long months without rain. The northern part of the state gets more rain but is still subject to wildfires.
The wildfires are nothing new in California it's been this way for centuries. It the recent history with increased building into these area's. The change in the climate with hotter summers and less rain.
Have you ever watched a Yucca or Juniper Cactus burn??? Man - talk about an inferno.
Yes I have and it's downright scary. I was caught in a wildfire back in the late 60's in Southern Ca. One of scariest things one could imagine. The noise is so loud that it sounds like a hundred freight trains coming straight at you.
Since the article is about natives and how they over the centuries have used fire as a method to prevent forest fires.
That said I would like to give a shout out to all of the Native American wildfire fighters. Most Natives will know about them but most non Natives will not be aware of the huge contribution to fighting wildfires that natives have made past and present.
Currently, the BIA has seven (7) Hot Shot Fire Teams that work the most dangerous and the hottest fires.
(The hotshot name originated in the 1940s in California. It was used for the firefighters that fought the hottest part of the fires.)
The seven current Hot Shot teams are as follows.
In addition to the hot shot teams there are numerous other teams of Native Americans you respond at a moment notice anywhere in the country.
One in particular that I'll mention is the ''Apache 8'' an all women firefighting team that has been in existence for 30 plus years. And much like the Hot Shot are put in the most dangerous and hottest areas of the fire. There has been a documentary done on them in 2011.
You can bet that many of these firefighting natives are in California right now battling the fire there.
Another shout out goes to our Indigenous brothers and sisters from Samoa. This small island has a top-notch firefighting team and last year the traveled to California to help in fighting the fires in Northern California.
The link below is well worth reading and viewing the video.
Awesome info Kavika.
What a fabulous group of men.
They truly are Sister. Having spent a lot of time in Samoa they are interesting people in many ways.
And women!
High 5' there! Standing ovation!
As I am writing this I am in a shelter with my Yoda Girl due to a mandatory evacuation of our Senior complex, from a wildfire that was moving in our direction at a pretty good pace. I brought along my laptop and my external hard drive of all my important documents backup.
The winds are due to die down later tonight and taper off by mid morning. The fire is pretty much under control at this point, but, gusty winds an cause flare ups can still cause it to start up again.
I am hoping that Yoda Girl and I can go home tomorrow. But, we can wait and see.
Stay safe, you and Yoda girl!!
Please stay safe RW, and keep an eye on Yoda. I'm so sorry to hear that you had to be evacuated. But being safe is the most important thing.
Is that the Easy fire that is close to you?
No, it's the Hill fire out in the Riverside Cty area, near Jurupa Valley off the 60 Freeway. If the winds die down over night I may be able to do home late tomorrow. Yoda is really spastic, and with the shelter being so busy with so many people and their pets, and Yoda being shut up in her carrier, which she hates, she is very traumatized. I am trying my best to comfort her, and she is calming down a little now, But, we both want to go home.
However, being safe is the most important thing right now.
Thank everyone for your good wishes, it is much appreciated.
Thoughts are with you and all out there effected by this horrible threat. Be safe sweet Sister Raven Wing! Looking for an update from CB too. Any one heard from him?
Is CB in the path of the fires? I wasn't aware that he lived in California.
Thank you Robin. I truly appreciate your good wishes and thoughts, my dear sweet Sister.
Yes, he posted a few days ago in Sister Mary's seed, I believe it was. Exactly where he's at, I didn't catch it if he posted about it. But it's in northern Cali, I took it. He said he may not be on line due to PG&E power outage mandate.
🤗💝
I'm glad you are safe. Please stay that way. That's an order.
Yes'em! Thank you.
Just stay safe, that's the important part.
Yoda and I are finally back home again. Neither of us slept a wink all night and so glad to be home again. Yoda is rolling all around on the carpet and has finally dropped into her bed for a long over due nap. (grin)
First time in the 5 years I've been here that there has been a nearby fire. Luckily I keep things simple just in case of a fire or earthquake and I need to evacuate the property. All important docs are scanned and backed up to a external drive, so all I have to do is grab the external, meds and Yoda and go. All else is material stuff, and if it's lost no big deal.
So now we can enjoy the peace and quiet and sleep in our own beds. I think they need to turn the fire prevention commission over to the Native America Tribes here in Calif. Although, they may not be able to prevent the pyros from setting fires, the preventive clearing and conditions could be much better.
A Mandatory evacuation is not the best way to celebrate my Birthday.
Thank you all for your good wishes and kind thoughts for our safety. It is very much appreciated.
Welcome home and Happy Birthday.
Dear Sister Raven Wing: Welcome home to you and Yoda.
Happy birthday.
Many more.
P&AB.
Enoch
Happy belated, Raven. Glad you're home safe and comfy.
Thank you Dear Brother and Mentor Enoch.
Thank you sandy. It is good to be home again.
Happy birthday and stay safe
Thanks Charger. (smile)
A/noon Raven..glad you are both safe and now back in your home...Yes bushfires the curse of many countries, mine included. Our fire season has started early especially up in New South Wales...so it is a foreboding warning for the rest of the summer..The yearly dance with the Devil has begun once again. I detest the people who light fires on total fire ban days the most..Honestly if I saw one given the chance I think I would throw them in it...Here we refer to them as "fire bugs" as they need squashing...Keep an eye on the sky and stay safe...And Happy Birthday for the other day.....
Thank you so much shona! We here in Calif do have a good many wildfires, but, it is something that you just can't get used to. That and along with the ground shakers (earthquakes). But, there really aren't many places in the world where weather, fires or other acts of Mother Nature make living a life of the unexpected.
Thank you for the Birthday wishes. I finally made it to 21 (big grin).