The Tongva's land burned in Eaton fire. But leaders say traditional practices mitigated damage (msn.com)

To read more of Rebecca Plevin's article, please click here,The Tongva's land burned in Eaton fire. But leaders say traditional practices mitigated damage.

Image source: ((Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times))

The descendants of the Los Angeles Basin's first people had not had land of their own for nearly 200 years.

Two years ago, a 1-acre property in suburban Altadena dotted with oak trees and shrubs became the first parcel of land returned to the Tongva people. They finally had a space to host traditional ceremonies, community gatherings and other events.

The fire that broke out in the hills near Eaton Canyon Jan. 7, charring more than 14,000 acres as of Friday, caused significant damage to the property, including the destruction of an old stone house and a garage on the land.

Still, the losses could have been much worse if not for the Indigenous practices implemented on the land, according to the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and protecting the land and cultural heritage of the Tongva people in the L.A. region.

Wallace Cleaves, president of the conservancy’s board, credits traditional stewardship practices — including the removal of 97 fire-prone eucalyptus trees — with reducing the wildfire’s impact.