For Tribes

We recognize the importance of Indian Country lands to each tribe’s spiritual, cultural, emotional, and economic sustenance.

Tribal lands also are deeply interconnected with the lands beyond their borders. Interior-managed public lands share over 5,000 miles of border with tribal lands. This interconnectedness requires close coordination to protect communities, economies, landscapes, and natural resources from wildfires.

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service honors its trust responsibilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Through government-to-government relationships, we support wildland fire management services on approximately 69 million acres of lands held in trust for federally-recognized tribes and individual Indians. 

We work to support both direct federal fire management and tribally-managed programs that promote Indian self-determination. We also recognize the importance of Indigenous fire stewardship and work with tribes to incorporate traditional burning practices and ecological knowledge into modern fire management.

How We Serve Indian Country

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service is committed to promoting Indian self-determination in wildland fire management. We recognize that tribes are best positioned to understand their lands, cultural resources, and community needs. Through contracts, compacts, and agreements, we work to ensure that tribes have the resources, authority, and support they need to manage fire on their lands in ways that honor their values and support their long-term objectives.

We serve as a partner and resource, providing funding, technical assistance, direct services, and coordination while respecting tribal sovereignty and decision-making authority.

Services we provide for tribal nations include:

• Ecosystem improvements
• Firefighter equipment
• Fire prevention programs
• Fuels management and prescribed fire projects
• Post-fire recovery activities
• Protection of federal trust lands, life, property, and infrastructure
• Wildland firefighter and safety training

Direct Services

On some tribal lands, we provide direct wildland fire management services through federal personnel and programs. This includes fire prevention, suppression, and post-fire recovery activities.

Self-Determination and Self-Governance

Federally-recognized tribes may choose to operate federal wildland fire management programs as their own. Through self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts, as authorized by Public Law 93-638, tribes can assume responsibility for fire management activities on their lands while receiving federal funding and support. This approach empowers tribes to manage fire programs in alignment with their cultural values, land management objectives, and community needs.

Currently, 34 tribal governments operate their own fire management programs with U.S. Wildland Fire Service support, demonstrating the success of tribally-directed fire management.

Cooperative Agreements

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service also works with tribes through cooperative agreements that enable flexible partnerships tailored to specific tribal needs. These agreements support collaborative interagency fire management while respecting tribal sovereignty and expertise.

Protection Agreements with Other Agencies

In some areas, the Department of the Interior fulfills its trust responsibilities through formal wildland fire protection agreements with state and federal agencies. For example, some Alaska Native allotments and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) lands are protected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.

Regardless of how fire management services are delivered, tribal members are directly involved in the protection and management of their natural and cultural resources.