| Home | About CLIMAS | People | Forecasts | Research & Products | Learn About SW Climate | Publications | Calendar | Links |
In this Section:
 |
Abstract |
|
Table of Contents |
Note: Files marked pdf require Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded from the Adobe website.
To order a hardcopy of this publication, please contact:
Publications:
Fire
in Indian Country: Two Case Studies in the Southwestern United States
CLIMAS
Report Series, CL1-01
October 2001
Diane
Austin & Barbara Wolf
Download
PDF File (CL1-01.pdf, 1.3MB)
As long-time residents of North America, Native Americans have much experience with both climatic variation and strategies for coping with change. Native American tribes and tribal organizations are unique and important partners to those doing climate-related research and outreach, especially in the Southwest. Through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) project, climate-related issues of concern to Native Americans are being addressed. An initial report, "Building Partnerships with Native Americans in Climate Related Research and Outreach" (Austin et al. 2000), established a framework for carrying out climate impacts research with tribes.
The research presented here documents institutional and organizational factors affecting fire management on tribal lands. Two case studies of fires occurring on tribal lands in Arizona provide insights into how these factors converged to influence the course of events. These case studies provide a foundation for considering more broadly the implications of climatic conditions and use (or potential use) of climate information for managing fire on tribal lands.
In this
light, this study considers historic as well as current conditions and
events because these affect whether or not people are receptive to information,
to planning, and to working together. This report is intended for a
broad audience, including tribal, federal, and local policy makers,
natural resource managers, and climate information specialists. Though
it focuses on decision making within tribes and agencies responsible
for tribal lands, its findings are relevant for other locations as well.
This study was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Global Programs (NOAA-OGP) under Grant No. NA87GP0061.
Introduction
Ecology and Policy: Fire on Southwestern Tribal Lands
Ecological Change
Indigenous Fire Management
Science in Fire Management
U.S.
and Tribal Policy: The Framework Within Which Decisions are Made
Integrated Resource, Forest, and Wildland Fire Management on Tribal Lands in the 21st Century
U.S. Wildland Fire Management in the 1990s
Summary
The Cases
The Moccasin Mountain Fire on the Kaibab Paiute ReservationEcological Change on the Arizona Strip
Kaibab Fire Management
BIA Fire Management
The Moccasin Mountain Fire
After the Fire
Factors Influencing Fire Management
Fires on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation
Ecological Change along the Lower Colorado RiverMojave Fire Management
BIA Fire Management
The Ice House Fire
Reorganization
The Walters Burn
After the Fires
Factors Influencing Fire Management
Summary
and Recommendations
Resource Management and Information for Planning
Broader Implications
Endnotes
References Cited