Fire is a natural forest component and something upon which Karuk basket weavers rely.

“Following the Smoke” is a small part of a growing relationship between Six Rivers National Forest and the Karuk Indigenous Basket weavers, said Bill Rice, Six Rivers National Forest-Orleans/Ukonom district ranger.

The 10th anniversary of the annual Passport-in-Time program was held the week of July 10-14 at the forest’s Orleans/Ukonom Ranger District.

PIT is a national volunteer program of the U.S. Forest Service, in which volunteers participate in a variety of cultural resource projects, primarily archaeological and historical.

The weeklong camp was an opportunity for the public to interact with and observe Karuk, Yurok and Hupa basket weavers and learn about the process — from gathering to weaving traditional baskets.

During “Following the Smoke,” participants gather the materials and then make baskets for a number of uses, including holding water. Singing, drumming and demonstration brush dances and presentations by renowned elders on different subjects, such as the traditional use of herbs, are also part of the event.

More than 700 individuals have participated since the program began in 1996.

“It signifies a tremendous and great relationship we have with the traditional practitioners within the Karuk Tribe — basket weavers specifically,” Rice said. “When we think about all the work that we’re doing in restoration, trying to reduce the fuel loadings to minimize the fire risk, at the same time we’re trying to get fire back into the ecosystem as a tool to maintain the forest health in the forest stands within the Orleans community.”

“Following the Smoke” comes from the Karuk, Yurok and Hupa basket weavers’ practice of combing areas after Forest Service-prescribed burns to find bear grass shoots and other suitable natural materials for weaving.

Rice said that the most important thing for him is his opportunity to work with the basket weavers toward a common goal to maintain the health of “the river community.”

Basket weavers literally follow the smoke, Rice said.

“Once the clump of bear grass is burned, regrowth comes in as a more supple, slender shoot,” he said.

In this way, fire prepares the “young material,” so that it is ready for basket weaving, Rice said.

On Tuesday, Rice and crew were responding to seven forest fires caused by a succession of lightning strikes in the late afternoon on Monday.

“Right now the forest is out of balance and it needs some help,” he said.

A century of fire suppression has allowed for more forest growth.

“We have had an overrun of growth, and normally fires would keep that in balance,” Rice said. “It is so important for us to do treatments and vegetation management to reduce the fuels.”

He said the Forest Service has introduced a new treatment for 3,000-4,000 acres around Orleans to reduce fire risk.

The “Orleans Community Protection Project” involves thinning, primarily from below, and saving the hardwoods, which are “crucial” to Native communities and make up much of the forest, Rice said.

The basket weavers support this Forest Service treatment plan, particularly prescribed burning.

They find areas that are a priority for burning and are potential gathering areas.

“We will burn those once we reduce the fuel load enough, so we do it safely,” Rice said.

“I certainly want to do the treatments, but my biggest priority is social collaboration and to build trust,” he added. “To really do the restoration work that’s needed to be done, we’ve really got to work together.”