- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
Breaking News. A wildfire that ignited on Saturday southwest of the St. Michaels Chapter on the Navajo Nation has scorched at least 200 acres and forced evacuations as it moves aggressively to the southeast.
According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Navajo Region, the Oak Ridge Fire is spreading rapidly due to dry fuels and active fire behavior, including torching and spotting. The blaze is threatening areas along its projected path, including near the El Paso pipeline corridor.
Residents in the fire’s path are being evacuated to the Window Rock Unified School District Fighting Scouts Event Center. The Fort Defiance Senior Center is open and accepting donations, while both Fort Defiance Chapter and the St. Michaels Chapter are on standby as secondary shelters and donation sites.
As a safety measure, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) has de-energized select power lines, with potential impacts reported in Chinle, Nazlini, Ganado, Klagetoh, Steamboat, and Wide Ruins. NTUA crews remain on standby and will provide updates regarding outages.
“Our people need to be vigilant about the poor and dry conditions we’re experiencing on the Navajo Nation,” said Resources and Development Committee Chair Brenda Jesus. “I’ve urged the Navajo Nation Forestry Department and the BIA to impose Stage 2 Fire Restrictions so we don’t further jeopardize our people, wildlife, and our land.”
The 25th Navajo Nation Council is urging the public to avoid State Route 264 and Route 12, and to yield to emergency and public safety vehicles in the area.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Schatz, Heinrich, Wyden Slam GOP Tax Bill for Slashing Tribal Energy Program and Clean Energy Credits
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
