As flames tore through the Southern California foothills last week, tribal fire departments from across the western U.S. rushed to deploy crews and resources to fight the fires. At least eight tribes from around the state joined Native firefighters from tribes in Oregon, Arizona, Washington and Montana.
Crews from the Pechanga, Rincon, Soboba, Pala, Yocha Dehe, Viejas, Barona and San Manuel fire departments worked side-by-side to contain the fires. Additional teams from the Yurok and Klamath tribes in Oregon, the Navajo Nation, TulalipMontana’s Blackfeet Nation also joined the effort, according to local and national media reports.
The Pechanga Band of Indians pledged $500,000 in response to the Palisades and Eaton fires, splitting the contribution between the American Red Cross and a partnership with the Los Angeles Rams Foundation to support the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Foundation, World Central Kitchen, and other relief organizations.
Beyond financial contributions, the Pechanga Fire Department, which has 30 members, pre-positioned crews ahead of the Santa Ana wind event as part of California’s mutual aid system. The department sent an engine and four crew members to the fire starting on Jan. 7.
Fire Chief Mark Keeling said tribal fire departments operate at the same professional capacity as their counterparts.
“Tribal fire departments are no different. We stand foot by foot with our local, state and federal partners throughout the state,” Keeling told NBC7. “Our training, our education, our experience is the same standards that you would see with a city or state or federal fire department.”
Tribal fire departments from across the Western U.S. deployed crews and equipment to battle Southern California wildfires. Clockwise from top left: Yurok Tribe firefighters who made a 16-hour journey south; Tulalip Bay Fire Department’s wildland team, deployed for an 18-day assignment; a Pechanga firefighter works to contain the blaze; and San Manuel Fire Department’s tactical water tender that was sent to fight the Eaton fire in Altadena, where more than 1,900 structures have been destroyed. (Photos courtesy of Yurok Tribe, Tulalip Bay Fire Department/Facebook, Pechanga Fire Department/Instagram, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians)
The Yurok tribe’s fire department made a 16-hour trip from northern California after receiving a call for assistance on Jan. 8. Upon arrival, crews were assigned to the Eaton Fire near Pasadena.
“When they got there, things were a little hectic; their job was to start patrolling the area that the fire was in, then start working to do more prep work and more preparation for another wind event that was coming in, suppress more fires that they came upon,” Yurok Fire Department Fire Chief Rod Mendes told ABC affiliate KRCR.
The Klamath Tribes of Oregon also joined the firefighting efforts last week, deploying a Type 3 fire engine and crew to the Eaton Fire, which has scorched 10,500 acres in the foothills north of Pasadena.
The tribe’s 14 fire-qualified personnel are ready to support Southern California. Additional firefighters joined a joint Forest Service-Klamath Tribes crew, equipped for 14-day assignments, with specialized training in wildland fire suppression.
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, whose ancestral homelands are in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, said Monday it deployed its tactical water tender to the Eaton fire in unincorporated Altadena, where more than 1,900 structures were destroyed and at least 11 residents killed in the historically diverse community.
While tribal fire crews battled the fires, tribal enterprises and Native-serving organizations stepped up to support displaced residents. The Pechanga Resort Casino is offering discounted accommodations for evacuees and residents who have lost power.
United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (UAII), Los Angeles’s only urban Indian organization, has converted its Temple Street facility into an emergency shelter for wildfire victims.
The shelter is providing temporary housing, meals, medical assistance, counseling, and other essential services to both Native and non-Native individuals displaced by the fires.
“We have prioritized immediate relief efforts. UAII staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to set up an emergency evacuation center,” UAII Board Chairwoman Hope Craig-Corlew said during a press conference Monday.
UAII is distributing emergency supplies and partnering with agencies to secure housing, and offering mental health services through mobile clinics.
The organization is launching workforce development programs to support rebuilding efforts and providing resources for families, including childcare facilities and educational programs for children.
“If anyone—Native or non-Native—needs support or resources as a result of the fires, please do not hesitate to contact us,” Tribal Elder and UAII Board Vice Chairman Keith Vielle said during the press conference.
The fires have claimed 16 lives, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and forced the evacuation of more than 153,000 residents. In Brentwood and Encino, the Palisades Fire has burned 37,000 acres and remains only 11% contained.
Despite their work to help contain the fires and support displaced Southern Californians, tribal nations have faced baseless accusations of contributing to the fire crisis. Fox News host Jesse Watters falsely linked the fires to dam removals requested by Native American tribes to restore the Klamath River ecosystem.
These dams are hundreds of miles north of the affected fire zones. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called these types of false claims, “inexcusable because it’s inaccurate.”
For tribal leaders, the focus remains on supporting their communities and neighbors during the crisis. “From ancient times to now, Southern California has always been and will always be our home,” Mark Macarro, tribal chairman of the Pechanga Band and president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), said in a statement. “The loss and devastation that continues to take its toll on our region from these catastrophic fires is heartbreaking. Our reservation has been impacted by fires in the past, and we know the importance of coming together to lift up people in need.”
Brian Edwards provided additional reporting.
About the Author: “Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alutiiq\/Sugpiaq Nation, and a shareholder of Koniag, Inc. She is a staff reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Berg, who is based in Wisconsin, previously reported for the Ho-Chunk Nation newspaper, Hocak Worak. She went to school originally for nursing, but changed her major after finding her passion in communications at Western Technical College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. “
Contact: kberg@indiancountrymedia.com