Wolf To Rebuild BIA Fort Peck Fire Program
In this year of drought, Adam Wolf is moving to Poplar as fire management officer for the Fort Peck Reservation. Wolf brings 30 years as a wildfire manager and leader.
BIA Fort Peck fire management cycled through difficult times for a decade, bringing staff and engines from other agencies to confront fire activity at Fort Peck. Two Blackfeet Agency engines just left Poplar after fighting May fires; Northern Cheyenne and Rocky Boy engines plus a Crow engine boss replaced them. This pattern of staffing from afar is about to end.
“I’m here to rebuild a program,” Wolf said, “with solid workers who want to protect their homes and land.”
For a decade, Wolf worked for the National Interagency Fire Center. “Model 52” program in Missoula, which prepares and outfits all the BIA light and medium fire engines in the Northern Rockies. In his most recent job, he moved home to Lame Deer as Fire Management Officer for the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
“We have coal seam fires, some of the most frequent lightning starts in the state, and lots of pines replanted after fires,” he said.
At Northern Cheyenne, he renewed fire operations standards. As used to be at Fort Peck, many Northern Cheyenne firefighters in families go on dispatches, including women crew bosses since the 1970s. They also have active fires.
“In 2019, a fire crossed our U.S. Highway through dry culverts of cattails. It ran two miles in an hour, right to our elementary school,” Wolf said.
He appreciates proper use of heavy equipment. After a five-year budget tussle, Wolf obtained a new Type 2 bulldozer for BIA Northern Cheyenne fire, outfitted with a 10-point harness for safety. He was the first operator last year there on the East Side fire which burned 60 acres into the timber hills of Lame Deer in its first half hour.
“Because more homes are at risk here, people need to use more care with fire than in many years,” Wolf said “With the support of generations of Fort Peck firefighters, we will respect this drought and rebuild our fire program to benefit tribal members.”
