The Heart of a Nimiipuu Firefighter

When a wildfire threatened homes near Thunderhill Road, members of the Nez Perce Tribe Fire Management crew responded as they always do, with professionalism and an urgency to protect the community.

As the fire intensified, firefighters worked to slow its advance and defend nearby homes. When conditions rapidly changed and flames overtook one residence, Firefighter Riston Bullock helped ensure every resident made it safely away from the burning home. He carried one young woman across hot, burning ground to safety before returning to assist another resident to the road.

Although the home was lost, every life was saved.

For Bullock, however, the recognition belongs to far more than one person.

“Everyone plays a huge part in the fire, not just myself. We all did our very best with the little crew we had that day, but we did what we could with what we had.”

Bullock expressed his gratitude to fellow firefighters Selina Miles, Lewis Holt, Celilo Miles, and Dakota Zimmerman, as well as the Lapwai Volunteer Fire Department, the Nez Perce County Fire Department, Idaho Department of Lands, CPTPA, helicopter crews, water tenders, and the community members who stood ready to help. Everyone’s combined efforts turned a devastating situation into one where every person was safe and accounted for.

While the Thunderhill Fire inspired this story, it represents only a small part of what our firefighters and their crews do every year.

Since joining the department in 2013, Bullock has dedicated his career to protecting communities throughout the reservation and surrounding areas. Firefighting runs deep in his family, with his father, brothers, uncles, and grandfather all serving in fire. Yet it is his own passion that keeps him answering the call.

“I don’t do this for the money. I do this because I love to fight fire and to learn and grow with every fire.”

For Selina Miles, who has served with the Nez Perce Tribe Fire Management since 2011, the mission extends well beyond suppressing wildfires.

Serving the community means protecting homes and lives, but it also means protecting the land itself through stewardship and education about fire.

“Fire is a wonderful tool if used properly in the right place at the right time,” Miles explained.

She believes firefighters have a responsibility to continually study fire behavior, forestry, and the relationship between Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and modern fire science so they can better care for the land, the wildlife, and future generations to come.

Miles describes wildland firefighting as one of the most physically and mentally demanding professions imaginable. Firefighters hike steep hillsides carrying packs weighing up to 80 pounds, work long hours in extreme heat, navigate terrain where no roads exist, and make split-second decisions in rapidly changing conditions.

Yet she says the greatest challenge often isn’t the work itself; it’s the time away from family.

Fire season means missing birthdays, postponing vacations, remaining mentally prepared for the next emergency, and carrying the emotional weight of difficult incidents long after the flames are extinguished.

Despite those sacrifices, she continues to return each season.

“It filled my cup,” she said. “Other jobs did not.”

Both firefighters emphasized that wildland fire is built on teamwork. Every successful response depends on great communication, trust, accountability, and knowing that every member of the crew has an important role to play.

As Miles puts it, “Knowing how to be a good leader is also knowing when to be a good follower.”

The public often sees firefighters during emergencies, but much of their work happens long before smoke appears on the horizon. Throughout the year, our firefighter crews train extensively, reduce hazardous fuels, maintain equipment, study fire behavior, improve emergency response strategies, and remain prepared for the next call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Their mission is to protect people, homes, forests, wildlife, natural resources, and the future of the land we call home.

As fire season continues, firefighters encourage residents to do their part by mowing grass, removing weeds and brush, clearing combustible materials from around homes, and creating defensible space. These simple actions not only improve the chances of saving a home, but they also make it safer for firefighters working to protect it.

“Homes and vehicles can be replaced,” Miles said. “People’s lives cannot be replaced.”

This fire season has already tested first responders across the region. During the Fourth of July weekend alone, the Nez Perce Tribe Fire Management crew, alongside the Lapwai Volunteer Fire Department, the Nez Perce County Fire Department, and other responding agencies, answered multiple emergencies, including grass fires, structure fires, and the heartbreaking loss of the Lapwai community sweat lodge on Garden Gulch Road. Each incident serves as a reminder that firefighters respond not only to protect property, but also places that hold deep personal, cultural, and spiritual significance.

The Nez Perce Tribe Fire Management crew consists of only 12 firefighters, but their impact reaches communities throughout the Nez Perce reservation and beyond. They leave their families when others need help, train relentlessly to improve their skills, and face every emergency with professionalism and determination.

Behind every fire response is a team of dedicated men and women committed to protecting lives first, property second, and serving the communities with honor.

This article is dedicated to every member of the Nez Perce Tribe Fire Management crew and the Lapwai Volunteer Fire Department. Thank you for your courage, your teamwork, and your unwavering commitment to protect. Because of your sacrifices, families are united, communities are protected, and hope remains even in the face of disaster. Qe’ciyew’yew’

(*Photos by August Frank/Lewiston Tribune, Lapwai Volunteer Fire Department, and Riston Bullock)

Written & submitted by Chantal Ellenwood (Nez Perce)