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SU BIA Agency Fire Notice – Mesa Fire Contained 07/23/2025

July 23, 2025 / July 23, 2025 by sbegay

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: BIA Fire Management – 970.563.4571 PIO Summer Begay – 970.563.2313 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2025 Mesa Fire Contained Southern Ute Indian Reservation – Yesterday afternoon at approximately 1:40 PM, the Southern Ute Agency received a smoke report in the Jefferson Canyon area near Archuleta Mesa, located on Tribal land. Following an initial assessment, the fire was sized at approximately 0.2 acres. Ground crews responded promptly, including one Type 2 Wildland Fire Module and one Type 3 Engine, successfully gaining access to the site. Aerial resources, including two Large Air Tankers (LATs) and one Type 1 helicopter sourcing water from Navajo Reservoir, supported suppression efforts. Thanks to the swift and coordinated response, the fire is now fully contained. Crews remain on scene conducting mop-up operations to extinguish remaining hotspots and ensure the area is secure. The Southern Ute Agency continues to monitor conditions to prevent any further impact to the surrounding environment. Smoke will be minimal in the region. For information on air quality, please visit: https://www.southernute-nsn.gov/justice-and-regulatory/epd/air-quality/ambient-monitoring/ To report fires, please contact: Durango Zone Dispatch: (970) 385-1324 Southern Ute Police Dispatch: (970) 563-4401

SU BIA Agency Fire Notice – Ute 63 Update 07/23/2025

July 23, 2025 / July 25, 2025 by sbegay

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ute 63 Fire Public Information Office – 2025.ute63@firenet.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2025 Ute 63 Fire Update – July 23, 2025 The diligent work of firefighters has increased containment to 72% on the Ute 63 Fire. The fire remains at 530 acres. This progress was made possible by crews who spent Tuesday out on the line finding hot-spots and verifying containment. Their work was aided by infrared detection of heat signatures within the fire perimeter. On County Road 100, the sole access point for fire engines and heavy equipment, the suppression repair group worked to restore the road to its pre-fire state. Water tenders teamed up with graders to resurface dusty and travel-worn roads by wetting, scraping, and flattening them back to a public access standard. Tomorrow as the incident transitions to a smaller incident management structure, fire crews will continue to collect, return, and rehabilitate equipment no longer needed on the fire so it can be repurposed and sent to other fire incidents across the country. California Interagency Incident Management Team 2 is thankful to its Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Tribal partners for their hospitality and coordination while hosting crews in northern […]

SU BIA Agency Fire Notice – Ute 63 Update 07/22/2025

July 22, 2025 / July 23, 2025 by sbegay

Firefighters continue suppressing the Ute 63 Fire, burning on Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Tribal and private land near Hesperus, Colo. Due to the team’s persistence and favorable weather, the fire footprint remained at 530 acres and 34% containment. As fire activity subsides, the incident is releasing personnel – currently, 311 firefighters and support personnel are assigned to the fire. On Monday, a Hotshot crew focused on mopping up and locating and mitigating hot spots along the north edge of the fire. Other crews assisted fire suppression efforts along the southwest boundary. Air and ground operations work together, determining the best strategies to meet unique incident objectives. On Monday, Air Operations deployed an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), an invaluable tool available to wildland firefighting. The UAS is a cost-effective way to collect infrared data, which maps heat sources across a large area. This information is used to assign firefighters to crucial locations. Today’s goal remains the same: to keep the fire firmly within its current boundaries. Temperature forecasts are stable through Thursday, but humidity will progressively drop through the end of this week. Firefighters continue mop-up operations along the perimeter. Repair crews are working diligently to restore any roads […]

SU BIA Agency Fire Notice – Ute 63 Update 07/21/2025

July 21, 2025 / July 25, 2025 by sbegay

With methodical tenacity, firefighters continue the work of suppressing the Ute 63 Fire, burning on Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribal and private land near Hesperus, Colo. The fire is now mapped at 530 acres and is 34% contained; field observers walked the fireline and confirmed the reduction in reported acreage. Crews worked Sunday to secure containment lines and aggressively search for remaining hot spots through a process called mop-up. Mop-up requires firefighters to sift through the earth looking and feeling for pockets of heat in the soil which could flare up and reignite the fire. When heat is discovered, firefighters dig it out and cool it down with water from backpack pumps, hoses, or even helicopters. Today, the 345 firefighters and support personnel assigned to the Ute 63 Fire are expecting more favorable conditions, with cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and a chance of rain. An Interagency Hotshot Crew will work the fire’s northern edge in Morgan Canyon while other crews extend water systems along the fire’s southern edge – all with the goal of keeping the fire firmly within current lines. Firefighters continue to cold-trail along all of the fire’s edges and patrol for any indications of heat. […]

SUDEP: Cybersecurity & Internet Safety Basics Training

July 21, 2025 / July 21, 2025 by sbegay

The Cybersecurity & Internet Safety Basics Training is taking a rain check 🌧️. The Southern Ute Digital Equity Program (SUDEP) is always listening and looking for ways to bring training that is timely, relevant, and energizing. Stay tuned for new opportunities coming your way soon! 💬💻🖱 SUDEP is offering Microsoft Office training in August. To view these trainings being offered, please get in touch with SUDEP at 970-563-5555 or sign up on the SUDEP website https://www.southernute-nsn.gov/sudep/ Got ideas or topics you would love to see? Share them with the SUDEP team via email at kred@southernute.com.

SU BIA Agency Fire Notice – Ute 63

July 16, 2025 / July 21, 2025 by sbegay

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: BIA Fire Management – 970.563.4571 Summer Begay, PIO – 970.553.0052 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 16, 2025 Ute 63 Fire Southern Ute Indian Reservation – The lightning-caused Ute 63 Fire was discovered on the afternoon of July 13, 2025 near Morgan Canyon on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. Despite a quick response from Ute Mountain Ute BIA Agency and Southern Ute BIA Agency firefighters, the fire continued to grow through the night of the 13th. On July 14, 2025 the Durango Interagency Type 3 Team (IMT3) was ordered to provide oversight and additional resources to the Ute 63 Fire. The Durango Interagency IMT3 is utilizing airtankers, helicopters, 1 dozer, and approximately 96 firefighters to suppress the Ute 63 Fire. Assisting agencies include Los Pinos Fire, Fort Lewis Mesa Fire, Durango Fire, Upper Pine Fire, San Juan County NM Fire, US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. As of 11:30 a.m. on July 16, 2025, the Ute 63 Fire has been mapped at approximately 108 acres and is 25% contained. The Durango Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team anticipates increased containment in the coming days, aided by incoming firefighting resources and a slight drop in temperatures […]

ICE Concern Update Letter 07/15/2025

July 15, 2025 / July 15, 2025 by sbegay

Dear Southern Ute Tribal Members, In light of continuing concerns surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity across the country, the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council is providing this update to reassure our Tribal Membership of our active engagement with federal and local authorities. We understand the anxiety and unease, national events have caused—especially among our youth, elders, and families—and want to assure you that we are actively monitoring the situation and engaging our staff to respond appropriately. Our Justice & Regulatory Department is in regular communication with ICE officials to monitor and respond to any potential activity by ICE on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. ICE has confirmed that its current efforts are focused solely on undocumented individuals who have committed serious crimes, have existing deportation orders, and pose a threat to public safety. Should ICE operate within the exterior boundaries of the Reservation it will be done in adherence with the required prior notification and coordination with Tribal authorities, in deference to our Treaty rights, and with full respect for our sovereignty. We strongly encourage all Tribal Members—whether living on or off the Reservation—to carry their Tribal ID and at least one additional form of identification that follows […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2025 Statement Regarding Public Use of Sacred Ceremonies

July 11, 2025 / July 11, 2025 by tehlers

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTMelvin J. Baker, Chairman – 970.563.2320Summer Begay, Communication Specialist– 970.563.2313 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2025 Statement Regarding Public Use of Sacred Ceremonies The Southern Ute Indian Tribe (Tribe) is aware of a video and social media posts recently circulated by Congressional District Three candidate Hope Scheppelman, following a sweat ceremony held on the Southern Ute Reservation. The video and accompanying post inaccurately suggested that the Tribe had issued an invitation to the ceremony and have since been used as campaign material, further misrepresenting the nature of the event and the Tribe’s involvement. Sweat ceremonies hold deep spiritual and cultural significance for our people. They are sacred spaces of healing, reflection, and renewal. While certain ceremonies may be open to the broader community, we ask that all visitors approach them with reverence, honoring the traditions and protocols that guide these sacred practices. The Tribe reaffirms its unwavering commitment to authentic, respectful, and government-to-government consultation—a process rooted in our sovereignty, cultural integrity, and the protocols of our duly authorized leadership. Any engagement that does not follow these formal channels is not recognized as legitimate or representative of the Tribe. We respectfully clarify that the perspectives or invitations extended […]

Southern Ute Cultural Preservation Announces Brush Sites Available for Sundance Preparation

July 7, 2025 / July 7, 2025 by abarry

The Southern Ute Sun Dance will be held July 10-14, 2025, on the Southern Ute Reservation. Please find attached the maps for shade brush locations which can be downloaded in the Avenza app. The GIS Division can be reached at 970-563-2226 to answer any questions and assist with downloading Avenza. If you have questions related to specific maps and permissions to cut, please contact the Lands Division at 970-563-2236.

For Immediate Release: Southern Ute Reservation Initiates Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

July 1, 2025 / August 7, 2025 by sbegay

United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs Southern Ute Agency Branch of Fire Management For Immediate Release: Southern Ute Reservation Initiates Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Due to the current high temperatures, dry fuel conditions and the occurrence of recent wildland fires, Stage I fire restrictions will be implemented July 1, 2025, for all trust lands throughout the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. Everyone on reservation land is asked to be very cautious and use common sense with fire this time of year. Stage I Fire Restrictions prohibits acts for the general public, commercial operators and industrial oil and gas operators performing work on the Southern Ute Reservation. The following acts are prohibited for the general public on reservation lands: OPEN BURNING. Burning of trash and/or yard waste is prohibited. AGRICULTURAL BURNING. Burning of crop land, fields, rangeland, debris burning, slash piles, prescribed burning and weed burning are prohibited. CAMPFIRES. Building, maintaining or using a warming fire or campfire outside of officially designated or developed camp sites is prohibited. The fire restrictions do not include charcoal fires (in suitable containers) for barbeques or fires for sweat ceremonies, however, such fires are not to be left unattended and are to be fully extinguished […]

Category: Tribal Members