BIA Wildland Fire Management

Wildfire Prevention and Education

Our Mission is to execute our fiduciary trust responsibility by protecting lives, property, and resources while restoring and maintaining healthy ecosystems through cost-effective and creative fire-management programs, collaboration, and promoting Indian self-determination.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal Wildfire Prevention programs across the country provide leadership, training and guidance to develop strategies to reduce the number of human-caused fires on Indian Lands. Prevention program staff works closely with tribal leaders and communities to:

• Implement burn permit systems.
• Raise public awareness regarding human caused fires.
• Develop community wildfire protection plans.
• Invite community involvement to mitigate wildfire activity.
• Conduct origin and cause wildfire investigations.
• Develop or revise Tribal law and ordinance codes pertaining to wildfire crimes.
• Pursue fire trespass where damage occurs from human-caused wildfires.
• Conduct outreach programs at various schools and events throughout Muscogee (Creek) Nation jurisdiction.
• Mitigate hazardous fuels where urbanization interfaces with the wildland.

General Burn Permit Policy

A Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Burn Permit is needed on lands held in Trust or Restricted Status by the United States of America and under the jurisdiction of the Okmulgee Agency.

BIA Burn Permit Policy | Printable

Fires that may Require a Permit

Domestic Debris Burning—Fires set for the purpose of burning limbs, trees, leaves and grass in the immediate vicinity of a dwelling, not to exceed 200 ft. from the dwelling require a permit.

Recreational Fires—Set for recreational purposes, such as campfires, cooking and warming fires do not require a permit. Exceptions to this are bonfires. This blanket exemption may be suspended by the Regional Director during periods of extreme fire danger requiring a ban on burning.

Bonfires—Set for recreational purposes (excluding those set for cultural or ceremonial purposes) that are larger than 4 ft in diameter are considered bonfires and require a permit.

Cultural and Ceremonial Fires—Set for cultural or ceremonial purposes do not require a permit. This blanket exemption may be suspended by the Regional Director during periods of extreme fire danger requiring a ban on burning.

BIA Burn Permit, Application | Printable

Fire Use and Fuels Management Program

The Fire Use and Fuels Management Program in Indian Country manages a variety of ecosystems across the Unites States that range from arid, to humid, warm to cold and sea level to over 10,000 feet elevations. The areas of responsibility are a broad spectrum of landscapes, fuels and ecosystems spanning from Alaska to Florida.

The exclusion of fire on the landscape has created vegetative conditions that no longer look or have the ecological conditions they once did. Today’s landscapes are ripe for disease, insect infestation, and catastrophic wildfires.

Global climate change, invasive species, threatened and sensitive species and extreme competition for funding is further increasing the complexity to treat hazardous fuels on the landscape.

The mission of the program is to: Provide leadership, executive direction, technical assistance and guidance to regional, tribal and agency hazardous fuels management programs.

The program supports fuels projects that:

• Create a safe environment for fire fighters and those who live and recreate in fire prone ecosystems.
• Meet tribal resource management goals.
• Involve collaborative efforts with stake holders to reduce risks to communities, restore and maintain healthy ecosystems, and protect our cultural and natural resources.
• Restore fire as a natural and managed process in fire dependent ecosystems.
• Develop and maintain a competent and skilled work force.
• Integrate fuels reduction with other natural resource program activities.
• Support biomass utilization and promote healthy economies.
• Incorporate fire monitoring to measure fire effects and assure desired conditions are met.

Prescribed Fire Treatments | BIA.gov…

Wildland Fire Fuels Management | BIA.gov…

Prescribed Burns and Mechanical Treatments

The hazardous fuels reduction consent form is required for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to conduct prescribed burns or mechanical treatments on Tribal trust or Restricted property.

If there are multiple heirs associated to the Tribal trust or Restricted property, the BIA requires majority consent of the heirs, 51%, or all landowners if possible, and one individual as point of contact for the family. The process is lengthy and may take up to 3 years.

Hazardous fuels reduction projects may require long-term planning. Upon receipt of the consent form(s), the process is:

1. Site Visit
   A Site Visit will be conducted and the project area to be treated will be assessed. for type of work requested and to document any avoidance areas (i.e., septic systems, cemeteries, cultural areas) and to map the boundary. A land owner may accompany so that any questions or concerns can be mitigated.
2. An Archaeological Survey
   An Archaeological Survey is a systematic assessment of a specific area to identify and evaluate archaeological resources, such as artifacts, structures, and buried features. The primary goal is to locate and document any cultural resources before development or construction. This may involve walking surveys, shovel testing, or geophysical surveys.
3. NEPA Process
   The NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process is a legal framework in the United States requiring federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their proposed actions. This process aims to ensure that agencies consider environmental consequences, inform the public about potential impacts, and make informed decisions that balance environmental protection with project objectives.
4. Funding Approval
   After funding approval the land owner will be informed of estimated start date of project.

BIA Archaeological Surveys | Printable

BIA Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Consent Form | Printable

Mail completed forms to Okmulgee BIA. Please keep a copy of your request for your records.

Okmulgee BIA Agency
PO Box 370
Okmulgee, OK 74447

Forms | Download and Print

BIA Burn Permit Policy | Printable

BIA Burn Permit, Application | Printable

BIA Archaeological Surveys | Printable

BIA Hazardous Fuels Reduction, Consent Form | Printable