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Tule River Tribal Members Working on the Windy Fire



 

 There are many local resources assisting with the fire-suppression effort on the Windy Fire. Pictured from left to right: Shane Santos, Daniel Robles, and Gabe Santos.

 Shane Santos was acting as an operations branch director trainee on the northwest corner of the fire, including parts of the fire within the Tule River Indian Reservation. An operations branch director is responsible for implementing the incident action plan in an assigned region of the fire. After graduating high school, Shane started his career as a forestry aide for the Tule River Tribe's Natural Resources Department and assisted with fire response within the reservation. The next year he was hired full time with the Tule River Fire Department where he worked his way up from entry-level firefighter to fire chief. Shane’s career continued with the USDA Forest Service, where he worked on the Sequoia National Forest as well as the Los Padres National Forest. In February of this year, Shane joined the Bureau of Land Management and is now the zone fire management officer for Central California Region Fire and Aviation Management Program. Shane is also a member of a Type 1 incident management team that responds to national incidents of the highest levels of size and complexity.

 Daniel Robles owns his own business as an advanced tree faller and has worked all over California for private timber companies. Advanced fallers must be proficient in performing high complexity saw operations, including tree felling, bucking, brushing, and limbing. Daniel is pictured here after clearing hazard trees along the road to the Eagle Creek Tree on the Tule River Indian Reservation.

 Gabe Santos has been working as a felling boss on the Windy Fire along with Daniel Robles. A felling boss leads a felling team to remove hazard trees in and around a fire area that threaten important infrastructure, such as roads and trails, and is responsible for their team’s safety on wildland fire incidents. Gabe has worked for the Sequoia National Forest for many years as a member of the Springville Hotshots and as an engine crewmember. Gabe is currently a fire engine operator for the Los Padres National Forest.

 Shane, Daniel, and Gabe are all members of the Tule River Yokut Tribe and have spent their lives recreating and working outdoors. Growing up on the Reservation and learning connection and respect for the land (Mother Earth) had a large influence on all three of them to work in the field of natural resources.