Cultural Burning
Blending Tradition and Stewardship on the Sierra National Forest
June 8, 2025
Multiple active cultural burn piles at Benedict Meadow (USDA Forest Service photo)
Amid the sounds of a traditional wooden flute, a serene ecological renewal transpired on Benedict Meadow on
the Sierra National Forest this past spring. June 6 marked a significant cultural burn borne of years of collaboration and perseverance.
Chairman Ron W. Goode of the North Fork Mono Tribe prayed before a circle of over 30 members from gathered tribes and forest personnel. North Fork Rancheria Tribal Citizen Ashley Pomona led a song of women empowerment.
Water Tender Operator assists with backpack (water) pump refill. (USDA Forest Service photo)
“This has been eight years in the making,” said Goode, reflecting on the intricate journey to bring an age-old tradition back to the forest. “It takes patience, understanding and community to make it happen.”
Historical cultural burning has long guided indigenous fire stewardship principles, diverging from prescribed
fire more commonly seen on Forest Service land. Prescribed burns focus on reducing larger quantities of hazardous fuels. Cultural burns emphasize nurturing the land in a more traditional, holistic way.
Path to a cultural burn
The Benedict Meadow burn project persevered through weather variances, administrative filings, and fire restrictions. Kris Gibson, tribal liaison for the USDA Forest Service Region 5 Grants and Agreements, introduced an innovative Cultural Burning Agreement.
“In 2017, as an intern, I was determined to find a way to open avenues for tribal cultural burns on Forest Service land," recalled Gibson. "I developed an agreement to educate and facilitate the process, allowing tribes to continue traditions that enhance cultural and natural resources.”
Firefighter, Alvin Rosa-Figueroa monitors burn operations at Benedict Meadow on June 6, 2025. (USDA Forest Service photo)
These early efforts culminated in this spring’s cultural burn. As light smoke dissipated into the tree line, it signaled more than ecological renewal. For tribes, it signified a reconnection with ancestral practices, a modern-day homage to previous generation’s work.
“Everything flourishes when landscapes are opened up," Goode observed. "These burns are not just about the flame. They're about restoring the cultural lifeways and ecological health of these lands.”
The burn spanned about 10.5 of the 15 targeted acres, representing a complex balance between tradition and modern forestry requirements.
The event brought together 11 tribes, each eager to share and learn — Big Sandy Rancheria, Chukchansi, Cold Springs, Chumash, Dunlap Band of Mono Indians, Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, North Fork Mono, North Fork Rancheria, Salvador, Tule River Rancheria, and Navajo.
Path to more resilient forests
Chumash Cultural Burn Practitioner Cody Zavalla (left) and Retired Tribal Liaison Dirk Charley take a photo at the Benedict Meadow cultural burn. (USDA Forest Service photo)
For the Sierra National Forest, the goal is to expand this cultural practice, to continue bringing cultural perspectives onto land.
“The resources have always been here,” Goode shared. “And this is how we ensure they will always be here."
Pomona said the event was emotional for her.
“It was something our ancestors used to do. Caring for the land, giving back, walking in their shoes. It’s an honor.”
As trails of smoke flowed through the mixed conifers, there was an air of closure and a new chapter.
Dirk Charley, who served as Tribal liaison on the forest from 2007 to 2017, reflected on the cultural burn at Benedict Meadow.
“They loved it. It was a proud and shining moment for the tribal community and locals to see the agency and tribes working together, to care for an area amidst the Creek Fire devastation.”