In an effort to mitigate the impact of climate change, the Department of the Interior (DOI) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Intertribal Timber Council (ITC) to work together on fire management on tribal and DOI acreage.
According to a statement from the DOI, there are about 6.5 million acres managed by the department that are located near tribal lands, making a line of communication vital in the battle against wildland fires.
“By making smart investments in critical infrastructure, wildland fire response and key partnerships, the Department of the Interior is helping lead the Biden-Harris administration’s response to the increasingly complex fire environment, including on Tribal lands,” Secretary Deb Haaland said in a news release.
The DOI also noted in its release, under the agreement the DOI and the ITC will collaborate on identifying shared values, using technology to make the best decisions possible, focus on common conservation efforts, coordinate on developing a workforce, and exchange ideas and information to educate and engage each other.
“There is no single entity across wildland fire management that will be able to successfully manage the landscape before, during and after a wildfire without help,” Cody Desautel, president of the ITC, said in the release.
The DOI noted that as part of its Build Back Better agenda, the Biden administration is working with Congress to provide support and improved working conditions for federal firefighters. It also hopes to improve efforts to be ready when a wildfire occurs.
“By strengthening our ties and improving collaboration with stakeholders like the Intertribal Timber Council, we will improve our efforts to more effectively reduce wildfire risk, rehabilitate burned landscapes, promote a better understanding of wildfire and support our firefighters,” Haaland said in the release.
According to the DOI, Biden’s Build Back Better agenda also would help communities prepare for the threat of wildfires, including investing in these efforts through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The DOI noted that the act would earmark $600 million to fund salaries for federal firefighters and the development of a “wildland firefighter” classification.
The DOI noted in its release it is focusing on updating wildland fire management goals to back research and science that studies the impact of climate change on the environment, upgrading technology for firefighters and providing them with the tools and benefits to ensure their health and safety.
