White Mountain Apache

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White Mountain Apache
Paul DeClay Tribal Forest Manager June 17, 2005
FORT APACHE INDIAN RESERVATION Fort Apache
Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs
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Ownership ManagementFort Apache Indian
Reservation(Tribal Lands of the White Mountain
Apache)

• Lands Held in Trust
• (1.6 million acres)
• BIA Trust Management (combined approach
  agency staff 638 contracts to tribe)
• Tribal Population
• (about 13,000 members)
• Tribal Government (Tribal Council four
  political districts)
• Outdoor Recreation (Fishing, hunting, skiing,
  camping, hiking)
• Enterprises (Lumber mill, gaming, outdoor
  recreation, trophy hunting)

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History of Fort Apache Indian Reservation

• Establish one large Apache reservation,
  September, 1871
• Executive order split reservation in San Carlos
  and White Mountain reservations, June 1887

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Apaches hold their lands very sacred!

• Lands are held sacred
• Animals are held sacred
• Plants are held sacred
• Water is sacred
• Fire is to be respected

Forest management needs to respect local
traditions.
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Aerial View of Hondah Apache Dawn Project
untreated
treated
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Logging
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Thinning
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Prescribed burning
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Grazing
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Outdoor Recreation
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Rodeo-Chediski Fire
June 18 to July 7, 2002
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Fire Facts

• Pulsing plume dominated AND wind driven
• June 19 _at_ 1730 Collapsing column causes fire to
  cover 10,244 acres in 15 minutes
• Flame lengths nearly 1,000 feet

• 5,660 acres/hour-or 100 acres/minute
• 7 miles in 3 hours

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Fire Highlights

• Rodeo Fire June 18, 2002
• Chediski Fire June 20, 2002
• Fires Merged June 23, 2002
• 467,000 Total Acres Burned
• 280,000 Acres on the FAIR (61)
• Over 30,000 People Evacuated
• Over 5,000 Fire Personnel
• Cost Estimated at 80.0 Million
• No Fatalities!

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Media/National Focus

• EVACUATION Towns of Heber-Overgaard, Aripine,
  Clay Springs, Linden, Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside,
  Hondah Homesites, McNary Forestdale (about 70
  miles long)
• STRUCTURES LOST 468 homes

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Fire Effects And Forest Management

• North of Chuckbox
• Prescribed burning (within a few years)
• Pre-commercial thinning (within the past decade)

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