Published May 9, 2025
As the weather warms and the forest floor dries out, Lomakatsi and the U.S. Forest Service are taking advantage of a limited window to bring beneficial prescribed fire to the Fremont-Winema National Forest, within The Klamath Tribes ancestral homelands. Over the past few weeks, we’ve completed 800 acres of understory prescribed burns within the BlueJay Vegetation Restoration Project. This work follows 600 acres of ecological thinning, pile burning, and other prep we completed last month, building on additional work together on the project over the past several years.
Under the guidance of the U.S. Forest Service – Fremont-Winema National Forest’s fire management team, up to 30 Lomakatsi crew members have been on the ground each day, applying fire with drip torches and holding containment lines. This partnership is a win-win opportunity that provides the U.S. Forest Service with added capacity to conduct prescribed fire within a seasonal window, while allowing Lomakatsi crew members to train and hone their skills.
Lomakatsi inter-tribal crew members—who completed much of the thinning work and containment line construction in the project areas—had the opportunity to bring beneficial fire back to their ancestral lands. Lomakatsi’s multicultural workforce members, who are often called upon to light back burns while serving as hand and engine crew members during wildfire season, were able to refresh and build upon their skills. Our Type 6 engine and crew were also on hand to support the operation. We joined crew members from the U.S. Forest Service, The Klamath Tribes, and Grayback Forestry, Inc..
We are grateful for the opportunity to continue our long-term partnership with the Fremont-Winema National Forest and the Klamath tribal community through our long-term stewardship agreement, utilizing prescribed fire to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risks to communities and the ecosystem. Check out these photos from a recent operation.
