Damage from the North Star Fire in Washington. Photo from Facebook
The Colville Tribes of Washington have been hit by two major wildfires that have consumed about 382,000 acres, most of it on the reservation. The North Star Fire has devastated more than 20 percent of the tribe's timberlands, The Seattle Times reported. That affects an important source of revenue on the reservation. The Tunk Block Fire is also burning on the reservation. Together, more than 590 square miles have been affected, the paper said. “It’s a huge event. I can’t even begin to describe it,” Cody Desautel, the tribe's natural resources director, told the paper. “There are parts that are just black. Standing, burned sticks.” No lives have been lost but people lost houses and property. The tribe shut down its forest last month, The Tribal Tribune reported. Get the Story:
Massive wildfires devastate tribal timberlands (The Seattle Times 9/15)
MTFC announces IFPL change: level 2, partial hoot owl in tribal forests east of Highway 21 (The Tribal Tribune 9/14)
After A Bad Fire Season, Northwest Tribes Question Federal Firefighting Priorities (Northwest Public Radio 9/10)
CBC updated on Emergency Services’ Response: 12 tribal members lost homes, two non-tribal residents (The Tribal Tribune 9/4)
CBC approves general shutdown of tribal forest to go in affect Wednesday, Aug. 19 (The Tribal Tribune 8/17)
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