LEECH LAKE DIVISION OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
-FIRE DEPARTMENT-

WHAT WE DO...

Leech Lake Wildland Fire Program
The purpose of the Leech Lake Wildland Fire Program is to provide services in wildland fire suppression, hazardous fuels reductions in the urban interface, and prescribed fire.

The Leech Lake Fire Program consists of a Fire Program Coordinator, a Fire Prevention Technician, an 8-10 person Fire Crew, 4 full time and 4-6 seasonal workers. The Leech Lake Fire Program also has equipment for supporting and suppressing wildfires. Total Reservation acres within the exterior boundaries are about 865,000. Large fires at Leech Lake occur primarily in the grassy meadows along the rivers and lakes. The U.S. Forest Service has protection responsibility on Reservation lands contracted through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Further fire management direction can be found in the Leech Lake Fire Management Plan, available at the Leech Lake Division of Resource Management.

Wildland Fire Suppression

Grassland Wildfire:

The Leech Lake Wildland Fire program offers fire suppression support to the Bureau of Indian affairs, The United States Forest Service, The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. While working with the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center for fire support across the United States. Working on Helitack support, Engine crews, Hand Crews, Communications, and Supply units. The main wildfire occurrence is a result of human causes in and/or around the towns of Cass Lake, Ball Club, and Onigum. With a large amount of dry grass and brush around the houses, the wildland urban interface has created an extremely dangerous and complex situation.

The spring wildfire season At Leech Lake usually begins after snow melt in late March and lasts until green-up in early June. Between June and September the crew is involved in western wildfires. The fall fire season at Leech Lake is from early October to mid November. Other Leech Lake Division of Resource Management personnel who are trained and experienced in firefighting are available during periods of high to extreme fire danger.

EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE...
The following equipment is available from Leech Lake for emergency contract:
• Engine Type 6 2005 Ford F-550 4x4
• Engine Type 7 2001 Ford F-250 4X4
• Engine Type 7 2004 Ford F-250 4X4
• ATV Crawler Type 3 (J-5 Bombardier)
• Prime Mover & Trailer (to pull J-5)
• ATV 6X6 – 2004 Polaris 6 Wheeler (75gal.)
• ATV 4X4 Polaris 4 Wheeler (35gal.)
• ATV 4X4 Polaris 4 Wheeler (35gal.)
• Ford F-250 4x4 four door I.A. vehicle
• John Deere 332 Skidsteer with brusher chipper attachment