Click here for a list
of standing fire lookouts (National Historic Lookout Register).
Do you have pictures of fire lookouts? Do you know where those
lookouts once stood? Have you talked with folks that remember
lookouts? Do you like to sniff out old trails and roads and see if
you can find footings or remnants of old fire lookouts?
If the answer to any of the above questions is "yes," then you have
something to add to the forestry history of the U.S. All you need 1)
is a memory, 2) pictures, and ) the ability to use the Internet. You
can post your information with recognition for your efforts.
The National Register of Former Lookout Sites (fflos.com), a
companion to the well known National Historic Lookout Register
(nhlr.org) is sponsored by the Forest Fire Lookout Association
(ffla.org) with support from the American Resources Group.
At one time there were 8,000+ fire lookouts in 49 states according to the
national inventory completed by FFLA and partners in cooperation
with the U.S. Forest Service. State listings are posted on the
"Towers Page" at.ffla.org. The only state without a fire lookout is
Kansas, and that will soon change with the future construction of a
fire tower on the Cimmaron National Grassland. Today fewer than
2,000 lookouts remain and FFLA's goal is to recognize, help maintain
and restore as many as possible. Currently there are nearly 1000
lookouts registered on the National Historic Lookout Register, and
most are received some kind of maintenance and about 500 are staffed
by paid observers or volunteers.
We are in a race with time, as abandoned fire towers are
sold for scrap to make way to new electronic facilities, including
cell phone towers, on high points throughout America. Members of
FFLA continue to do all they can to prevent that, and are becoming
more successful every year. Some lookouts get moved to parks,
fairgrounds and museums where people can visit and learn of the
proud history of these recognized symbols of forest conservation.
Others are sold to private parties who move them to their own
woodlands and farms to enjoy and preserve them. A few, especially in
the south, revert to the landowner when the forestry agency no
longer can staff them and face an uncertain future until one of us
comes forward with an offer to help.
YOU CAN DO THIS ON THE INTERNET!
Keeping track of these changes is a huge job and that is where YOU
come in. The FFLOS is set up so anyone with internet can post their
information on the site. A few basic questions are asked: 1)
Coordinates (latitude and longitude)--easily obtained with a GPS; 2)
Date the lookout was constructed and date removed (if known); 4)
Description of the lookout (as much as you can find out); 5) Picture
of the footings or remains (if possible) and 6) Photo of the lookout
before it was removed, if you have it.
That's all it takes, and you can share your contributions with
family and friends in addition to documenting these historic sites
for everyone to see. While you are at it, we invite you to join the
Forest Fire Lookout Ass'n at ffla.org. Dues are only $20/year and
include a subscription to eight full color magazines a year!!
LOOKOUT NETWORK MAGAZINE is published by FFLA and is full of
information about fire lookouts in the US, Canada, and around the
world. NATIONAL WOODLANDS MAGAZINE, the second magazine, contains
quarterly postings with pictures to the National Historic Lookout
Register.
For additional information: Keith A. Argow, Chairman/CEO
Forest Fire Lookout Association
argow@cs.net