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Joseph Powell

@thejosephpowell

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Positively impacting lives through a shared understanding of Natural Resource Stewardship. Advocacy, Education, Consulting, and Implementation

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This past Wednesday we shared a great day of cultural fire at Tásmam Koyóm—ancestral homeland of the Mountain Maidu—with Maidu Summit Consortium and Plumas CAL-TREX. 🔥

As we recognize Wildfire Awareness Month, we support Indigenous-led efforts to restore balance through cultural burning. This burn was part of Plumas CAL-TREX (California Prescribed Fire Training Exchange), launched in 2020 to build local prescribed fire capacity and train the next generation of fire practitioners. Each spring, 60–70 people from across Northern California and beyond gather in Plumas County to learn, burn, and build community.

We’re honored to support Tribal crews like Maidu Summit Consortium through our High Roads Training Partnership as they lead the return of good fire—restoring ecosystems, cultural traditions, and community resilience.

This event was made possible by:
@plumasfiresafe @greenvillerancheria @featherrivercollege @maidusummitconsortium @susanvilleindianrancheria @csuc_reserves @hayforkwatershedcenter @northernsierraairquality @calfirelassenmodoc @castateparks @ucanr @the_healthy_forest_alliance @butte_rcd @featherriverrcd

#plumastrex #goodfire #culturalburning

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Planned Pile Burning on Plumas National Forest This Week

Approximately 248 acres of pile burning are planned this week on the Mount Hough Ranger District, south of Taylorsville near China Grade Road, conditions permitting. This effort is part of ongoing fuel reduction and community protection in the wildland urban interface (WUI).

The work is led by fire leadership from the Mount Hough Ranger District, with support from @terra_fuego Fuego, Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression, Inc., @csuc_reserves and funding provided by the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment.

Test fires are planned for today (Tuesday), with ignitions expected tomorrow and Thursday, weather permitting.

➡️ Smoke Visibility: Smoke is expected to be visible from California State Highway 89 and nearby communities (Taylorsville, Greenville, Genesee Valley, and Indian Valley). Minor, short-duration smoke impacts may occur near China Grade Road.

➡️ Safety: Increased firefighting equipment and traffic will be in the area. Drivers are urged to use caution and watch for slow-moving traffic.

If weather conditions become unfavorable, burning operations will pause until conditions improve. Firefighters will monitor and patrol the area for several days following the burn.

This work supports the North Fork Forest Recovery Project and is critical to protecting communities and reducing wildfire risks.

For more information:

📞 Sierra Institute: 530-284-1022 | Vincent Vitale: vvitale@sierrainstitute.us

🌐 Plumas National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/plumas

Let’s continue working together to protect our forests and communities! 🌲✨

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The Nisenan Tribe’s completion of Basic 40 Introduction to Wildland Fire training last week marks an inspiring step toward reclaiming stewardship of their ancestral lands. This effort is part of the Koćim Pakan Project, a collaborative initiative between CHIRP (California Heritage Research Project) @nevada_city_school_of_the_arts @nevadacityrancherianisenan @sierrastreams @sierra.institute for uniting Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) with modern restoration techniques.

Through our High Roads Training Partnership, tribal crews are receiving critical certifications and hands-on experience in cultural burning, fuels reduction, and habitat restoration. This work not only addresses ecological recovery but also provides tools for tribal communities to reconnect with their lands, create jobs, and build stronger futures.

The Koćim Pakan Project acknowledges the deep history of the Nisenan Tribe, whose ancestral lands encompass much of Nevada County. This land has endured displacement, logging, urban encroachment, and wildfire, but the tribe’s resilience continues to shine. Today, partnerships like this foster the healing of both the land and its people.

Your support for our year-end giving campaign ensures that Sierra Institute has organizational capacity for bringing initiatives like these to life.

💬 Visit the link in bio to make your gift and be part of this vital work.

#Nisenan #CulturalBurning #HighRoadsTrainingPartnership #IndigenousLeadership #landrestoration

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🔥 Prescribed Pile Burn Success in Plumas County!

Yesterday in the Genesee area of Plumas County, CA, nearly 80 piles were carefully burned as part of a community-driven effort to bring good fire back to the land. This work improves forest health, increases wildfire safety, and fosters a culture of stewardship in our rural communities.

In addition to community volunteers, we were joined by over 20 students from Plumas Charter School! These future stewards learned the basics of pile buring, including safety precautions, and ecological considerations tailored to the landowner’s property and goals for native flora and fauna present.

This effort was made possible by our partners at @plumasfiresafe and @plumasunderburn . The piles were cut and stacked last summer by the Susanville Indian Rancheria, funded by Sierra Institute’s High Roads Training Partnership. Special thanks to @hayforkwatershedcenter & @envrstudies for their additional support and during this impactful day.

🌟 Together, we’re restoring the balance of fire on the landscape.

#PrescribedFire #GoodFire #BringingFireBack #CommunityStewardship #ForestHealth #FireSafety #PlumasCounty#FutureStewards

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Oh no! I think we are about to cut the last tree. Doom and gloom to follow.

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Joseph Powell @thejosephpowell on my podcast. Search rupp’s timber tutorials on Spotify.

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Wildfires easily destroy hundreds of thousands of acres every single year. Well over 1 million acres have burned across several states this year. Is it possible to log 620,000 acres in one calendar year?

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