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CNN Sunday Morning

Indian Reservation in Arizona Impacted by Wildfire

Aired June 30, 2002 - 08:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Our "Faces of the Week" takes us to Arizona and the Fort Apache Indian reservation. There, we will visit the people whose lives and livelihood are going up in flames. More now from Thelma Gutierrez.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The majestic ponderosa pines, 300-year-old trees, now up in smoke, more than 400,000 acres worth.

LUCI BENALLY, APACHE TRIBE MEMBER: It is a total loss for my people.

GUTIERREZ: On the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, the fire has taken a serious toll.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is just devastating. It really hurts the Apache people.

GUTIERREZ: You can see grief on the faces of tribal members.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our timber is sort of the heart of the White Mountain Apache tribe.

GUTIERREZ: The heart and soul and, in many ways, their bread and butter.

The White Mountain Apache tribe is a population of more than 10,000 people. Tribal members Mary Classy and Wilkie Gregg say it is also one of the poorest places in America. They say a staggering 50 percent are unemployed. Of those who have jobs, many work here at the Fort Apache saw mill, one of two mills on the reservation.

(on camera): This really has to have a huge impact on the people out here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

WILKIE GREGG, TRIBE MEMBER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like the west side maybe, the mill running two, three years maybe at the most, and then maybe a complete shutdown.

GUTIERREZ: That translates into a $237 million loss, 700 million (UNINTELLIGIBLE) feet were destroyed in the fire. Both of the saw mills employing some 300 people have now closed down because of the fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's their livelihood and it's in their bloodstream, more or less, and it's saddening to see.

GUTIERREZ: Sad for Troy Henry, who has worked here for 15 years.

TROY HENRY: I guess they have to shut it down, and I have to find another job.

GUTIERREZ: Devastating to Harlan Hill. He and his wife both work here, and both risk being laid off. He says his family's future is at stake.

HARLAN HILL: The future of the tribe and the mill here and the timber that's out there. But my little boy ain't going to be seeing all of that stuff out there that I have seen.

GUTIERREZ: With all of the attention focused on residents of towns like Show Low, tribal members hope they're not forgotten.

BENALLY: Our tribe has lost so much and too much.

GUTIERREZ: The timber losses the Apache nation has suffered here in Arizona may take a century to recover.

Thelma Gutierrez, CNN on the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And now something else to hit the reservation, and that is the "Arizona Republic" newspaper, a federal source, saying that a firefighter from the Bureau of Indian Affairs is now being charged with arson and starting that fire. We are continuing to investigate that story.

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