In the video below, Brianna Juneau talks with the Blackfeet Tribal Chairman and the Blackfeet Fire Management Officer about the possible impact of federal funding cuts on the ability of the Blackfeet Nation to respond to wildfires.
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Tribes all around the nation are grappling with concerns as recent federal budget cuts threaten to undermine essential services. With the quickly approaching fire season, these concerns include wildfire management and essential resources.
Rodney Gervais Jr., the Blackfeet Tribal Chairman expressed deep apprehension over these federal budgetary decisions and how they correlate with the closing of several Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) offices nationwide. He explained, “We do see some issues with BIA, IHS, and I know there's been a lot of cuts throughout the nation with regard to different federal agencies, federal jobs. And so, it's tough.”
The newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has initiated the measures to terminate leases of BIA offices, including two in Montana so far. The BIA plays a crucial role in managing trust lands and essential resources for tribes, ensuring their protection and conservation.
While those closing offices located in Western Montana won’t have a direct impact to North Central tribes like the Blackfeet, other BIA offices could later be affected as these DOGE cuts continue. Along with recent federal workforce reductions to forest service firefighting personnel, concern for the upcoming fire season is still real.
“The cuts will affect us when we start reaching out for resources – if we start having large scale fires,” said Carter Gallineaux, the Blackfeet Fire Management Officer. “We depend on a lot of outside resources and our local tribal volunteers. Once we surpass the Mutual Aid part of it, you start talking dollars, and then we have to try and figure out where that money is going to come from so that we can pay extra personnel, extra equipment. If the cuts affect that money, then it’s going to affect us reaching out for these resources and bringing them in.”
The Blackfeet reservation has been historically susceptible to wildfires due to the dry grass and strong winds. The reduction in federal support raises alarms about the tribe’s capacity to effectively respond to incidents. Gallineaux added, “We usually average over 100 fires a year. You know, that's from the small fire to the larger scale fires. Now, if we don't have the resources, then you know, what could be a five, six-hour fire, could turn out to be a three- or four-day incident.”
The Blackfeet tribe is assessing potential impacts and are exploring strategies to prepare for possible adverse outcomes. Chairman Gervais highlighted the tribe’s efforts to establish a safety net but acknowledged the uncertainty ahead: “If there’s more drastic movement, we just have to cross that bridge when we get there.”
As fire season approaches, the Blackfeet Nation and other tribes remain vigilant, striving to safeguard their communities and lands amidst diminishing federal support.
