Case Study: Bureau of Indian Affairs Hiring Policy
Fire management can be a difficult task especially when you have to take into consideration the different types of lands and the people that occupy them. For those involved in fire management, some of the lands that provide the most challenges lie within the American Indian Tribes. Due to the historical, and religious beliefs of these lands, various organizations are involved in making sure that the populace is aware of the importance of fire management within their tribes. Some of the challenges of fire management, as the article “Communicating about fire with tribal organizations” states, is understanding the different tribal views in regards to fires, while being aware that individuals still exist within the tribes. The article points out that the concept of fire management, is different in each and every tribe, “Tribal views about fire, for example, can be quite different from modern western views. For the Salish and Pend d’Oreille Tribes of western Montana, fire is a gift from the Creator brought to the people by animals” (McDowell).
The article points out that communication is the key to being able to work with the different tribes, additionally, learning the culture will also aid the fire managers in understanding how the tribes view the use of fire. Managers must understand that this is a critical role, and should implement cultural training that discusses each tribe and their culture. If fire managers fail to implement this type of training, they will create more issues for themselves, as they will come out as insensitive towards the Native American cultures. They should also work with different organizations to implement