115th anniversary for Adirondack fire towers (2024)
The celebration of the 115th anniversary of fire towers in New York’s Adirondacks and Catskills will be held throughout this year:
https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/life/people-news/2024/03/115th-anniversary-for-adirondack-fire-towers/
The fiery spell of Desolation (2023)
A podcast from Seattle’s public radio station about a trek to Desolation Peak, and an interview with lookout Jim Henterley:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObRzpK3OL8k
America’s Fire Spotters Aren’t Ready to Fade Away Just Yet (2023)
New York Times Reporter Raymond Zhong and Photographer Mark Felix visited the Flathead National Forest and hiked through miles of Montana backcountry to spend some time at Thoma Lookout with FFLA’s Leif Haugen:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/06/climate/wildfire-lookouts-fire-towers.html
Life on top of a Fire Lookout (2023)
A nicely done PBS story featured FFLA’s Rick and Linda Freimuth at their post on Benchmark Lookout in Colorado:
https://www.pbs.org/video/on-top-of-a-fire-lookout-pnibmx/
‘Your job is to be in tune with the land’: A day in the life of a fire lookout (2023)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/fire-lookout-wildfires-alberta-lookout-observer-1.6955504
In fight against wildfires, Alberta’s lookout towers are reliable, low-tech protectors (2023)
https://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/news/in-fight-against-wildfires-albertas-lookout-towers-a-reliable-low-tech-protector
Fire Lookout Observer has eyes on the job (2023)
Australian FFLA member Simon Hawkins:
https://www.deeca.vic.gov.au/ourpeopletheirstories/stories/fire-lookout-observer-has-eyes-on-thejob
On the lookout for fires (2023)
Mount Tarrengower tower, Australia
https://arr.news/2023/12/22/on-the-lookout-for-fires/
The History of Lady Lookouts (2021)
Women Who Shaped History: A Smithsonian magazine special report.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/female-fire-lookouts …/
Volunteers give makeover to precarious Three Fingers Lookout (2021)
An awesome article on our partners doing work in western Washington at Three Fingers lookout.
https://www.heraldnet.com/…/volunteers-give…/…
Lookout Season in Montana (2021)
Four months a year, she scouts fires from a mountaintop. Here’s what her job is like.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90694466/four-months-a-year-she-scouts-fires
Wells Gray Park 1950 Helicopter Rescue (2020)
September 23, 2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the Wells Gray Park 1950 Helicopter Rescue, from a forestry lookout on Azure mountain in British Columbia. Here is a write-up of all aspects of the event, including the people, places, and the machines involved. This article is courtesy of Ken Flowers of Edmonton Alberta.
Fire lookouts are hot destinations, but face an uncertain future in the Pacific Northwest (2017)
Imagine waking up to the sun cresting a ridge of the Cascade Mountains. You look out the window, and through the dawn light you can see clouds still settled over a lush alpine forest. You’re in a tower in the sky, in the shadow of our tallest peaks, surrounded by wilderness.
http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2017/12/fire_lookouts_future.html
‘Freaks on the peaks’: the lonely lives of the last remaining forest fire lookouts (2016)
There were 10,000 lookouts, scanning the wilderness for signs of smoke. Now just a few hundred remain, and they pass the time hiking, writing and knitting.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/30/us-national-parks-fire-lookout-forest-wildfire?CMP=share_btn_fb
Dedicated volunteers watching out for wildfires (2016)
Nathan and Jenna Pyle broke into “international stardom” while working Boucher Lookout Tower. Over two hours were spent taping and interviewing to create this 2-minute segment of the “Zevely Zone”.
http://www.cbs8.com/story/32845334/dedicated-volunteers-watching-out-for-wildfires
Adirondack Life Magazine article on ADK Fire Towers (2016)
A great article in the October 2016 edition of Adirondack Life Magazine on ADK Fire Towers. Great history and recognition of lots of hard work.
Spotlight on Michael (Smoke) Pfeiffer (2016)
A little about late Arkansas/Oklahoma Director Michael (Smoke) Pfeiffer……
Clay Pipes – Spotlight on Smoke Pfeiffer
Fire-tower watcher begins final season scanning West Australian horizon for bushfire (2014)
As Western Australia’s southern bushfire season gets underway, a small group of frontline firewatchers are about to get back to work. But for the state’s oldest fire-tower man, it will be his last year on guard.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-14/wa27s-oldest-fire-tower-watcher27s-last-season/5966166?section=wa
Dennis Fire Tower gets repairs (MA) (2014)
Repairing the Dennis Fire Tower
Oregon Lookout articles (2013)
http://topics.oregonlive.com/tag/johndaymiddle/index.html
Mt. Beacon Fire Tower Grand Re-Opening Ceremony June 22, 2013
Beacon Fire Tower Re-Opening from Jodie Childers on Vimeo.
Cameras to replace people in fire lookout towers: 38 seasonal workers losing jobs (2013)
Fire lookout stations in northern Saskatchewan will be replaced with cameras.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/04/18/sk-fire-lookouts.html
Another Job Replaced by Technology: Fire Lookout (2013)
Requiem for the Fire Lookout
One FFLA Maine member’s lookout story (2012)
A man and a mountain: A hiker shares decades-long story about a 3,000-footer
http://bangordailynews.com/2012/10/17/outdoors/a-man-and-a-mountain-a-hiker-shares-decades-long-story-about-a-3000-footer/
Northern Woodlands Fire Tower Article
Published in the Autumn 2012 edition of Northern Woodlands Magazine, check out A History of Fire Towers in the Northeast.
On the Lookout: A History of Fire Towers in the Northeast