highz
Retreaded
I thought I would start this topic, since I have a love of fire lookouts, and I didn't want to continue hijacking another thread on gps units that drifted into discussing the PLSS which then drifted into the Osborne firefinder.
I'll start the thread with a link to a short blog about last year's season as a lookout.
I am sorry to say that "creeping volunteerism" has taken a paid position and turned it into a volunteer one in my local National Forest district. I understand that is true in other districts as well. Honestly, there may be better places to spend money, since a lot of fires are turned in by citizens with cell phones, and spotter plane recon and satellite imagery also plays a big role. Still, I believe there is a place for the lookout in the tower. A plane or satellite only gives information a few times per day. A human in a tower can catch a fire early and give a good position (not always true when a visitor to the forest tries to describe a location). Plus, we provide a daily eye on fire weather.
I would also love to hear about other people's trips to fire lookouts around the West, US and world, for camping, sightseeing or work - hopefully with pictures! I know Craig333 likes fire lookouts and I'm sure others here do, too.
LuckyDan, I've heard about DragonPlot. I seriously doubt I could convince our district to spring for it under the current budget. We feel lucky to get new Kestrel weather units to replace the old belt weather kits. And, if the budget improves, I'd rather see it go to providing a paid job in the tower for someone.
This upcoming fire season, we're actually looking at staffing two fire lookouts. Of all the lookouts in the Lincoln's Sacramento Ranger District, only two still have working Osborne Firefinders. The rest of the lookouts here are all in various stages of decay. I hope to go to Sacramento Lookout this season. It's more remote (I like that) and I'll use my FWC to camp there, since the lookout's cabin burned in a fire back in the '70's.
I'll start the thread with a link to a short blog about last year's season as a lookout.
I am sorry to say that "creeping volunteerism" has taken a paid position and turned it into a volunteer one in my local National Forest district. I understand that is true in other districts as well. Honestly, there may be better places to spend money, since a lot of fires are turned in by citizens with cell phones, and spotter plane recon and satellite imagery also plays a big role. Still, I believe there is a place for the lookout in the tower. A plane or satellite only gives information a few times per day. A human in a tower can catch a fire early and give a good position (not always true when a visitor to the forest tries to describe a location). Plus, we provide a daily eye on fire weather.
I would also love to hear about other people's trips to fire lookouts around the West, US and world, for camping, sightseeing or work - hopefully with pictures! I know Craig333 likes fire lookouts and I'm sure others here do, too.
LuckyDan, I've heard about DragonPlot. I seriously doubt I could convince our district to spring for it under the current budget. We feel lucky to get new Kestrel weather units to replace the old belt weather kits. And, if the budget improves, I'd rather see it go to providing a paid job in the tower for someone.
This upcoming fire season, we're actually looking at staffing two fire lookouts. Of all the lookouts in the Lincoln's Sacramento Ranger District, only two still have working Osborne Firefinders. The rest of the lookouts here are all in various stages of decay. I hope to go to Sacramento Lookout this season. It's more remote (I like that) and I'll use my FWC to camp there, since the lookout's cabin burned in a fire back in the '70's.