National Park Service Sponsors Fire Prevention Planning Meetings for Sand Creek Massacre Site

By Craig Moore, Park Ranger

The National Park Service (Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site) and the Kiowa County Economic Development Foundation hosted a three day fire management planning meeting in Eads from September 21-23, 2004.  The meeting was important for initiating fire prevention efforts and suppression activities for the Sand Creek Massacre Site. The meeting was attending by about forty people, representing the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office, the Eads, Towner, and Kiowa County Fire Departments, the Board of County Commissioners, National Park Service Fire Management Officers and Fire Education specialists, the Colorado State Forest Service, the CSU Extension Office, and neighboring landowners. Tribal partners attending represented the Northern Arapaho, Northern Cheyenne, and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Members of the Southern Cheyenne Black Kettle Fire Suppression Team and the Natural Resources Management staff at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site were also in attendance.

A visit to the Sand Creek Massacre site provided participants an opportunity to see many of the fire management challenges faced on NPS and tribal lands. Superintendent Alexa Roberts gave an overview of current fire suppressions agreements between NPS and Kiowa County and tribal representatives discussed cultural issues and other traditional considerations for future fire management activities.

Much discussion focused on initial response in the event a fire occurs at Sand Creek, including such issues as response time, fire fighting methods, water availability, equipment, and costs. Fire prevention strategies were also debated. One of the prevention issues discussed at length was fuel load reduction, including mowing or grazing to reduce tall grasses and the removal of downed and dead cottonwood limbs along the creek bed. The meeting concluded with a facilitated fire mitigation assessment and further discussion about the site’s riparian and range management issues.

Funding for the meeting was obtained via a Community Assistance Grant through the National Fire Plan. Bringing such a diverse group of fire management and other partners together promotes a much greater understanding of the site’s fire management issues and helped lay the groundwork for future management plans.