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List of fire lookout towers

This is a list of notable fire lookout towers and stations, including complexes of associated buildings and structures. This includes lookout cabins without towers which are perched high and do not require further elevation to serve for their purpose, and also includes notable lookout trees.

There once were more than 10,000 fire lookout persons[1] staffing more than 5,000 of fire lookout towers or fire lookout stations in the United States alone.[2] Now there are far fewer of both. Also there are a number of fire lookout trees. The U.S. state of Wisconsin decided to close its last 72 operating fire lookout towers in 2016.[3] Despite newer methods like aerial surveillance and cell phones, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania returned its use of fire lookout towers in 2017.[4]

Australia

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See Category:Fire lookout towers in Australia

Fire stations with lookout towers:

and a number of other fire stations in Australia

Towers alone:

Fire lookout trees:

Canada

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Romania

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United Kingdom

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United States

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The National Historic Lookout Register lists most historic, surviving fire towers in the United States. Many of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Forest Fire Lookout Association.

Arizona

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Lookout trees

Arkansas

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California

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Some are related to the Angeles National Forest Fire Lookout Association. California had a total of 625 fire lookout sites, of those there are 198 remaining lookout towers, and of those there are around 50 staffed. There are 11 lookouts that may be rented in California. Fire Lookouts not only watch for fire, they also record weather conditions and observe animals in some cases.

Lookout Rentals

Colorado

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Georgia

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Idaho

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Illinois

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Indiana

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Iowa

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Louisiana

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Main article: List of fire lookout towers in Louisiana

Massachusetts

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Michigan

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Mississippi

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Missouri

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Montana

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New Hampshire

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The number of towers has varied over time, and aerial monitoring is also used.[6] The following locations have fire towers as of 2020:[7]

New Jersey

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See List of New Jersey Forest Fire Service fire towers

New Mexico

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New York

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A number of fire lookout tower stations, including many in New York State near the Adirondack Forest Preserve and Catskill Park, have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8][9] They include:

Adirondack Park
Catskill Park
other

North Carolina

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Oregon

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Sand Mountain Lookout with the Three Sisters

Pennsylvania

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South Dakota

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not in category
  • Harney Peak, now known as Black Elk Peak, rock tower built in 1938 by CCC, last staffed in 1967
  • Fort Lookout IV, Oacoma, SD, NRHP-listed
  • Elk Mountain Fire Tower, Hells Canyon District, Black Hills South Dakota-measured as the tallest fire tower in the country-80+feet tall
  • Bear Mountain Fire Lookout Tower, Pennington Co SD still in service 7166' original tower was built in 1910 of logs, replaced with 30' metal tower in 1939
  • Custer Peak Fire Lookout, Lawrence Co SD, 6713' original wooden tower built in 1911, replaced in 1935 and replaced with the current rock lookout tower in 1941
  • Summit Ridge Fire Lookout, 6,082', 67.5' tower, last staffed in 1972
  • Rankin Ridge Fire Lookout, Wind Cave National Park, replaced the Crow's Nest Peak tower, 5,013'
  • Mt Coolidge Fire Lookout Custer State Park still in service
  • Battle Mountain Fire Lookout, Hot Springs, SD, Fall River Co, 4,363', 22' tower
  • Seth Bullock/Scruton Mt Fire Lookout, Pennington Co, SD, 5,817', wood tower built in 1939, replaced 1975 with metal tower

SD Lookout Towers that no longer exist:

  • Crook's Tower
  • Crow's Nest Peak
  • Signal Hill
  • Parker Peak

Tennessee

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Utah

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Vermont

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not in category

Washington

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As of 2022 93 lookouts in Washington State are still in existence, down from a 1950's high of between 660 to 685.[10][11]

Blue Mountains of Washington

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  • Oregon Butte
  • Table Rock
  • Clearwater Lookout
  • Big Butte

North Cascades center - Hozameen Range of Washington

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North Cascades east - Okanogan Range

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  • Aeneas Mountain
  • Buck Mountain
  • First Butte
  • Funk Mountain
  • Goat Peak
  • Knowlton Knob
  • Mebee Pass Lookout
  • Mount Leecher
    • Leecher Crow's Nest Lookout Site
  • Okanogan Post Office Lookout Site
  • North Twentymile Peak
  • Slate Peak lookout

North Cascades east - Methow Mountains

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North Cascades west - Skagit Range

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North Cascades south - Glacier Peak area

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North Cascades south - Mountain Loop Area

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Central Cascades west -Alpine lakes area

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Central Cascades east - Chelan, Entiat, Wenatchee Mountains

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Southern Cascades north - Goat Rocks

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Southern Cascades north - Mount Rainier Area

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Southern Cascades - Crest

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Southern Cascades central - Mount Adams area

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Southern Cascades south - Columbia Gorge

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Kitsap Peninsula

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Okanogan Highlands and Kettle River Range

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Bodie Mountain Lookout 1930s to 1960s

Olympic Mountains

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San Juan Islands

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  • Mount Constitution

Selkirks in Washington

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  • Diamond Peak - Patrol Lookout Site
  • Lookout Mountain
  • Indian Mountain
  • Mount Spokane
  • Quartz Mountain
  • Salmo Mountain Lookout
  • South Baldy Lookout
  • Sullivan Mountain
  • Timber Mountain
  • Tower Mountain
  • Wellpinit Mountain

Others

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lookout trees

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  • Cook Creek Spar Tree, cut down in 1955 due to rot,[12]
  • Lookout tree constructed in 1918 near Darrington, Washington; abandoned as a lookout in the 1930s, it can be reached by the Lookout Tree Trail.[13]

West Virginia

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Wisconsin

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Wyoming

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Norway

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  • Linnekleppen fire lookout (staffed 1908-present day)
  • Skjellingshovde fire lookout
  • Haukenesfjellet fire lookout
  • Rafjellet fire lookout
  • Mistberget fire lookout
  • Elgheia fire lookout
  • Kjerringhøgda fire lookout (built in 1952 and staffed until early 1970s. Cabin removed and tower converted to view point in 2000.)
  • Furukollen fire lookout
  • Hornkjølberget fire lookout
  • Blåenga fire lookout
  • Trollerudåsen fire lookout
  • Årkjøltårnet
  • Garsjøberg-tårnet

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rory Carroll (August 30, 2016). "'Freaks on the peaks': the lonely lives of the last remaining forest fire lookouts". The Guardian.
  2. ^ Peter L. Steere (July 1987). "National Forest Fire Lookouts in the Southwestern Region. USDA Forest Service". Zimmermann (1969:5-6) reported that the Forest Service and State Forestry Departments had constructed a total of 5,060 lookout towers by 1953. He noted a steady decrease since that time. His 1967 count indicated that of the towers recorded in 1953 thirty percent were gone. This was partially due to the increased reliance by the Forest Service on aerial patrols for detection. Note the PDF file includes also December 5, 1990 document by Teri A. Cleeland.
  3. ^ Lee Bergquist (December 17, 2015). "End of an era: State to end use of its 72 forest fire towers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  4. ^ Youker, Youker (2016-12-23). "Pennsylvania Reintroduces Fire Towers". AMC Outdoors. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24.
  5. ^ "Knob Lick Towersite". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  6. ^ NH Fire Lookout Towers - A Short History (1992)
  7. ^ Tower Quest Tri-fold Brochure, 2020
  8. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  9. ^ Fire Observation Stations of New York State Forest Preserve MPS
  10. ^ Hobbs, Steve (July 11, 2016). "Historic Fire Lookouts in Washington". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  11. ^ Lund, Rick (July 30, 2022). "93 fire lookout towers remain in WA. Here's what it's like working and living in one". Seattle Times. Seattle, WA. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  12. ^ "Fire Towers of Northern Minnesota (brochure)" (PDF). Forest Fire Lookout Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Lookout Tree" (PDF). Fire Lookouts of the Darrington Area. Darrington Area Business Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
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