Spencer Sacks
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs declared a state of emergency recently after the Bench and Beachcomb fires merged, consuming more than 60,000 acres. At least six homes have been destroyed by the wildfires in the Warm Springs area.
The crisis on the reservation comes as more than 1 million acres have burned across Oregon in recent weeks. Thousands of firefighters from across the state, the nation and other countries have traveled to Oregon to battle the ongoing blazes.
Tribal communities face different logistical struggles during disasters than other municipalities due to tribal sovereignty. Because of this legal status, emergency responses for the tribes are coordinated through the federal government rather than the state.
The community is currently experiencing a significant shortage of food and water as officials work to manage the fires. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies have been engaged to provide equipment and funding to the region.
Edward Henderson, CEO of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, said the emergency declaration was a necessary step to coordinate with federal resources. “That allowed us to reach out to the federal government side, FEMA and other agencies,” Henderson said. Henderson noted that tribal officials are still evaluating specific requirements while actively fighting the blaze. “What things will we shy, what funding, what equipment, what was our needs in order to fight the fire?” Henderson said. “Because because again, we’re still in the middle of fighting the fire. And then so that was very nice to hear that.”
The community currently faces a significant shortage of daily essentials, including food, water and clothing. Henderson said the tribes are seeking immediate relief as well as assistance for families who lost their homes and belongings. “We need, like the short term food, water and things like that and then trying to lean forward a little bit and look for the long term stuff for the people that lost their house in their homes, you know, beds, bedding, clothes, things like that,” Henderson said.
Environmental and cultural impacts are also a major concern for tribal members. Henderson explained that the fire has destroyed areas used for gathering traditional foods on the southern end of the reservation. “That’s that’s part of the weight that the tribal members carry, especially out on the south end where there were first foods out there that are now no longer harvestable that burnt, gone,” Henderson said.
The fires have also damaged the tribes’ primary revenue sources. Unlike many cities, the reservation does not have a tax base and relies on harvesting timber and generating hydro power from a local dam. Henderson described watching the fire move toward the timber as a significant blow to the community’s economic stability. “And then just watching the fire go west now toward the timber. You know, as you know, this reservation, this town does not we don’t have a tax base. So we rely solely on revenues, whether it’s the hydro dam and the power or the harvesting of the timber,” Henderson said. “And so watching that burn up is kind of a to do.”
Community members have begun fundraising efforts to support Warm Springs and alleviate the shortages of food and water.
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