Bureau of Indian Education, BIA launch new wildland firefighting career pathway

The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education has rolled out a new school-to-career pathway for tribal youth interested in pursuing wildland firefighting professions.

Highschoolers across six BIE-run schools in South Dakota, Oklahoma, Montana and New Mexico are already participating, including Northwest High School in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation.

“This just happened to occur organically,” said Carmelia Becenti, who is Diné and BIE chief academic officer. She credits President Donald Trump’s executive order on “expanding educational freedom” as the reason behind this curriculum.

They’re also pitching it to colleges.

“We are trying to somewhat steer them towards being stewards of our lands,” said Garth Fisher, who is based in Boise, Idaho, and a training specialist with the BIA Division of Wildland Fire Management. “That doesn’t always happen.”

This programming honors Indigenous historical burning practices.

He shared they’re teaching coursework on leadership, fire suppression and Federal Emergency Management Agency readiness. Once done, students put their training to the test during a field day, with Fisher explaining “they get to put the gear on, how it feels, they get to look like a firefighter.”

That equipment is expensive, which is why the BIE is buying it now.

“And that way, year after year,” added Becenti, “as we recruit more students at these schools and across the bureau, you know, we have this PPE that we can use over and over and over.”