Native American Firefighters Of The Southwest

For many years, I've had a desire to visit with and write about the Native American wildland firefighters of the Southwest. These firefighters have had little in the way of the public recognition that they so justly deserve.

Photo by Robert M. Winston Members of the "Fort Apache-41" hand crew overhaul smoldering trees during the 850-acre "Whitetail Fire" on the Mescalero Indian Reservation in New Mexico.

I made contact with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, ID. The BIA was pleased with this idea and assigned me a Native American representative to coordinate this endeavor with several Indian tribes in New Mexico and Arizona. We chose the second week of June to travel in the Southwest because historically June is usually the most active period for wildfires in this area of the country.

This odyssey began at the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation located about 120 miles east of Phoenix. From there we journeyed to reservations in Mescalero, NM, and to Fort Apache and Gila River, AZ. I quickly learned that these Native Americans were not only superb wildland firefighters, but many were also structural firefighters who were cross-trained to perform both firefighting functions.

It was a personal honor to me that Firehouse® Magazine and I were granted permission to visit these reservations and were provided with a staff member from the BIA's National Interagency Fire Center office in Boise. The staff member was Gail Pechuli, a Native American and a former wildland firefighter. She brought me to places where few journalists have been allowed to go and put a great deal of effort into assisting me with the production of this unique article.

Photo by Robert M. Winston

I thank the Firehouse staff for their support and confidence in me to produce this story, a first for any fire service trade journal. And a special "tip-o'-the-helmet" to the BIA and to all of the Native American firefighters, who were most courteous and willing to give of their time to be interviewed and photographed. Without their cooperation, the production of this article would not have been possible.

The Fire Warriors And Fire

Native Americans, also known as Indians, are closely aligned to the basic natural elements of this world. The earth, weather, the heavens, water and fire are essential elements in the lives of Native Americans, who consider fire a source of joy. Fire is sacred and kindled before celebrations and rituals. Fire gives life. In the past, it was also used as a weapon of war to take life. It is used to purify, hunt with, cook with, clear land with and fire has a significant use in Indian religion.

The Indians were the first people to develop fire prevention and pre-fire programs by using fire to clear away combustible vegetation from around their villages, thus building a "defensible space" so their homes would not burn if approached by a wildfire.

Photo by Robert M. Winston

The first "fire shelter" was reportedly deployed by a Sioux Indian in the early 19th century when this Sioux was about to be overrun by a wildfire. As the fire approached, he apparently wrapped himself up in a thick buffalo hide, which allowed the fire to pass over him without harming him. We know that the wildland firefighters of today carry the aluminized "fire shelter" as a means of survival if they are overrun by wildfire.

The First Indian Wildland Firefighters

The following information is excerpted from a paper produced by David H. Dejong of the Native American Research and Training Center:

It should be mentioned that today American Indian tribes hold the largest private source of commercial timber in the United States, and this holding exceeds 14 million acres. In 1909, the first funds were appropriated to establish the forestry division of the Bureau of Indian affairs.