There is some dispute as to the origin and meaning of the name "Tampa". It is believed to mean "sticks of fire" in the language of the Calusa, an Indian tribe that once lived south of the area. This may relate to the high concentration of lightning strikes that west central Florida receives every year during the summer months. Or it may relate to the "burning sticks" formed by fires in the vast palmetto fields, part of the indigenous practice of fire management.