New Face At BIA Fort Peck Fire Knows Smokey Well
A fire prevention technician position at BIA Fort Peck Fire has gone to a new resident, Janet Anderson. She arrived in Poplar in May from U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service work in interpretation (visiting people) and law enforcement (helping people take responsibility).
As a prevention technician, she will help her new community lessen dangers from human-caused fires. She loves to visit schools, community groups, councils, churches and events. She visits homes and businesses to help prepare for wildfire. She also knows Smokey Bear “inside out.”
For example, Smokey Bear and Anderson are celebrating the bear’s 80th birthday by reading his story on Thursday, Aug. 8, at 10 a.m. at the Roosevelt County Library in Wolf Point.
Come early: at each library, Anderson brings a birthday cake for the bear to share with youth. She and Smoky Bear also met folks last weekend at the Wolf Point powwow and basketball tourney.
Anderson doubles the full-time fire staff in Poplar by joining FMO Adam Wolf. Wolf leaves Fort Peck Agency this fall to return to his home near Lame Deer on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, where he has accepted a job as BIA deputy superintendent. Through summer, he leads BIA seasonal firefighters Jonathan Firecloud and Sierra LeMay as their three-person engine works wildfires.
BIA is still hiring AD (emergency-hire, occasional- hire) firefighters. Pay in 2024 for rookies who complete training is $22.16 per hour for some very long days. Call the BIA Fort Peck Fire office at 406-768-3666 for details if interested.
If you are considering lighting any fire whether for trash or field burning, call Tribal Environmental Protection at 406-768-2322 for a burn permit.
