INTERNATIONAL STORY FUNDING NOT GOING DIRECTLY TO TRIBES Typical of this year’s wildfire bills is House Bill 3160, which would establish a fund for community protection against wildfires. The fund draws from a proposed surcharge on insurance policies. It sends the money to the state fire marshal, the Department of Forestry, and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. None of that money is set aside for tribal efforts, such as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s fire program, which has previously collaborated with Oregon Metro on prescribed burns. Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland), vice chair of the House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery, said this bill is designed to distribute funding through existing state agencies, but some of it might reach tribes secondhand. “Although tribes aren’t called out in the initial legislation, I am confident that they would be targeted in the funding process,” she said. “However,” she added, “We should think about that.” But Danny Santos, interim director of the Legislative Commission on Indian Services, said the perception that non-tribal participants, such as the Forestry Department, will take up tribal interests has not historically worked in the best interests of tribes. “Some state agencies, other governmental entities, and PHOTO BY KARSTEN WINEGEART ON UNSPLASH WHY ARE INDIGENOUS TRIBES EXCLUDED FROM POLICYMAKING WHEN THEIR PRACTICES ARE USED TO FIGHT WILDFIRES? BY BRIAN OASTER Last year, lawmakers responded to 2020’s devastating wildfires, which burned over a million acres in Oregon, by introducing a slew of bills aimed at wildfire prevention, management, and recovery. Also last year, a growing body of scientific research came to light supporting the effectiveness of traditional Indigenous land management practices in preventing uncontrolled wildfires. But Native representation in decision-making processes is meager compared to business interests. ANOTHER WILDFIRE SEASON IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, with fires burning around Klamath Falls. Drought conditions across 85% of Oregon have threatened a worse fire season than last year. Lawmakers responded to 2020’s devastating wildfires, which burned over a million acres in Oregon, by introducing a slew of bills aimed at wildfire prevention, management, and recovery. Also last year, a growing body of scientific research came to light supporting the effectiveness of traditional Indigenous land management practices in preventing uncontrolled wildfires. Foremost among these practices are prescribed burns, a method of intentionally burning the land every few years, under controlled conditions, to prevent the build-up of fuel like deadfall and overgrowth and promote fire-adapted ecosystems, thus preventing uncontrolled outbreaks of wildfires like the ones we saw last year. But despite the research supporting Native expertise, Oregon lawmakers have left Native people almost entirely out of the decision-making and funding processes aimed at changing the pattern of uncontrolled summer and autumn fires — even as the state works to implement tribal knowledge. legislators may still assume that tribal interests (for one and sometimes every tribe) are covered in their meetings, memos, policies, and proposals,” Santos said. But consultation means “having meaningful dialogue in developing plans, not simply informing tribes of what actions (are) to be taken.” Another bill, House Bill 2273, seeks to establish a forestry task force and doesn’t specify the inclusion of tribal representatives. Yet another proposal, House Bill 3282, would require the Forestry Department to study and make recommendations about wildfire prevention, but makes no mention of consulting Indigenous scientists. The absence of Native people from these bills contrasts starkly with the strong representation of business interests. A few fire bills have overt economic tones. House Bill 3279 would offer grant money to private contractors with air curtain burners to help with fuel reduction — money that could go to tribal fire programs for the same purpose. House Bill 2795 aims to give $5 million from the general fund to support “Good Neighbor Authority Agreement projects.” These are projects, according to Oregon law, “that increase timber harvest volume” and “maximize economic benefit to this state.” One wildfire bill mentions Natives directly. House Bill 2722 seeks to create a committee to advise policymakers on land use and wildfires. The 22-person committee would include one Native person to represent the nine federally recognized tribes across Oregon. Also around the table would be developers, real estate agents, farmers, utility companies, and landowners. One Native person out of 22 slightly over-approximates Oregon’s Native population by percentage — 3% of Oregonians are Native — but doesn’t necessarily account for the unique expertise Native communities can bring to the table and their unique stake in caring for the land. Santos said that expecting one person to represent the diverse governmental, economic, and environmental positions of the nine tribes — which are not always in strict accordance with one another, or with settler conservation efforts — is like expecting a representative of Portland to speak for other parts of the state. “The city of Portland cannot be seen as speaking for all Oregon cities. Malheur County cannot be seen as speaking 10 DENVER VOICE June 2021
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