The lonely lives of the last remaining forest fire lookouts

[kscarbel2]

The Guardian  /  August 30, 2016

For Levi Brinegar, alone atop his mountain, a storm can feel like the end of the world. Clouds swallow the peak, winds howl and lightning blazes.

“The tower shakes. During the last one the windows cracked. The lightning was 50 feet away. It was like strobe lighting going off. It was crazy.”

Brinegar, 26, endures this, and more, for $12 an hour. He could not be happier. He reckons he has the best job in the world. “It’s fun. I’ll definitely try to get back next year.”

Brinegar is a fire lookout for the US Forest Service. He has spent the summer on a peak in Montana’s Helena-Lewis and Clark national forest armed with binoculars, a compass and a radio, scanning the wilderness for smoke.

Dozens more like him do the same across the US every summer, perched in 15ft by 15ft wooden cabins atop remote towers with sweeping panoramas, a low-tech, very human first line of defense against conflagrations. They are known, unofficially, as the “freaks on the peaks”.

The nickname is affectionate, not derogatory. It recognizes certain qualities needed to operate in lonely eyries – an embrace of nature, solitude and disconnectedness. And an ability to shift mental gears and respond when tempests and fires interrupt serene observation of cloud and canopy.

“We have a certain reputation,” said Leif Haugen, 46, a veteran who trains other lookouts. “It takes a certain type of person to do it. All lookouts have their own individual oddities.”

The challenge, Haugen said, was to accept nature’s rhythm. “New lookouts often have all these plans, they’re going to read all these books, or paint, or photograph, or learn an instrument. Then they’re amazed by how much they just sit there on the catwalk, watching weather. Those who can be content with themselves, and not having a list, have the most success.”

For some, inhabiting a sanctuary of contemplation far from modernity’s noise is a spiritual experience. In the semi-autobiographical story A River Runs Through It, based on his Montana upbringing, Norman Maclean noted: “It doesn’t take much in the way of mind and body to be a lookout. It’s mostly soul.”

When not gazing at clouds for signs of lightning, and forests for plumes of smoke, some lookouts knit, some hike, some study birds, deers, foxes and bears. Quite a few write.

The poet Gary Snyder worked as a lookout in Washington state’s North Cascades. Edward Abbey, who worked as a ranger and lookout in Utah and Arizona in the 1960s and 1970s, captured the job’s mystical appeal in novels such as Desert Solitaire and Black Sun.

Philip Connors quit his editing job at the Wall Street Journal after 9/11 and moved from New York to New Mexico where he has spent 14 summers, keeping vigil over Gila national forest for $13 an hour, and writing about it. “At the beginning I thought of it as a paid writing retreat with good views,” he said in a phone interview. “It has turned into something larger. I’ve become pretty deeply invested in this place.”

Connors, 43, accepted the peak freak moniker. “It’s way of acknowledging we’re the last of a dying breed. And that what we do is pretty far outside the cultural mainstream. We don’t have cable television or high-speed internet. We get paid to look out the window all day.”

Almost all are manned by just one person but some have couples, such as Chuck Manning, 71, head of the Northwest Montana chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association, and his wife. “I think it’s a great experience for a couple to be in a small lookout,” he said. “You’re in a very confined area. You really learn to get to know each other.”

Staffed lookout towers began a century ago, peaked at about 10,000 in the 1950s, then gradually declined to just a few hundred. Wisconsin has become the latest state to close its last towers, deeming aircraft and cameras cheaper and safer.

Volunteers maintain and restore some former lookouts to safeguard the heritage. The Forest Service rents out many decommissioned towers as holiday rentals.

In Montana, New Mexico and other parts of the west the numbers of staffed, operational lookouts has stabilized over the past decade, stalling, if not reversing, the trend towards obsolescence.

It seems human eyes and intelligence can still do things that drones, satellites and infrared cameras cannot.

One reason is the policy of letting more fires burn. Fires can actually benefit ecosystems by clearing brush and regenerating forests. But they can swiftly explode out of control, hence the need for constant vigilance.

“The techno-fetishists always dream of replacing us (but) we can do things for firefighters on the ground that a camera attached to a drone just can’t do,” said Connors, noting that many lookouts stay in the job for decades, acquiring deep knowledge of terrain and weather.

Another reason is the increasingly unpredictable fire behavior. They burn fiercer, bigger and more frequently – a new normal attributed in part to climate change. “Fire behavior has ramped up. It’s different to what it used to be,” said Haugen, a lookout near Montana’s border with Canada for 23 years.

Record-high temperatures and drought-induced tinderbox conditions can turn a spark into a wall of flame within minutes. A recent example is the Blue Cut fire in California, which destroyed hundreds of structures, torched 37,000 acres and forced 80,000 people to flee.

Lookouts are tasked with spotting puffs of smoke early, feeding correct coordinates to fire crews and averting such disasters.

“Every time I see that smoke I get real excited,” said Brinegar, clutching binoculars as he circled the catwalk on the Stonewall tower, 8,270ft above Montana’s majestic wilderness, the Rockies in the distance.

The dirt path up to the tower winds through swathes of charred, spectral trees, the legacy of a 2003 inferno from which this part of the forest has yet to recover – a stark reminder of what is at stake.

Since taking over the outpost in July – this is his first season – Brinegar has called four fires, including one on Nevada Mountain, 17 miles away. Each time helicopters and ground crews doused the blazes before they exploded.

Upon spotting smoke, a lookout uses a table-sized 360-degree compass known as a fire finder to identify the location, then relays it to base. Twice Brinegar has confused mist known as water dogs with smoke, a common rookie mistake. “I’ve learned to take my time if I’m not sure, wait maybe 10 minutes before calling it.”

Most days are uneventful: rise at 7am, breakfast on military rations (there is electricity and a stove but the former infantry soldier prefers rations to cooking), check in with base, scope the landscape, measure humidity, file a weather report, lunch, more scoping, a supper of potatoes and sausages, maybe a DVD, sunset, bed.

Brinegar savors the solitude. Having grown up in rural California he finds cities crowded and noisy. “I’m not a people person. I miss the woods, the quiet. Being by yourself you figure out what you want to do with your life.”

When not on duty he hikes and checks out deer, goats and other wildlife. The tower’s heavy door is studded with spikes to deter grizzlies, but he has yet to see one. He does, however, wear a bearskin cape, bought online for $300.

Storms are exciting and nerve-wracking, said Brinegar, who sports a long, auburn beard. “It feels like a miniature earthquake. The water in your glass sways.” With 90mph winds roaring and hail hammering the panes he hunkers on a wooden stool – “the lightning seat” – which has glass jars on its feet to insulate it against conducting electricity. The tower also has lightning rods and grounding cables to protect against a direct strike.

Every five to seven days Brinegar rides an all-terrain vehicle down to Lincoln (population 1,100) for a night or two, then returns. There is phone signal, so he can text and email, but otherwise has little human contact beyond his twice-daily radio reports.

Fire season here will end when the snows come, perhaps later this month. Until then Brinegar will continue his vigil and maybe, he said with a sheepish grin, watch The Shining a few more times. “I’ve watched it five times already.”

Photo gallery - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/30/us-national-parks-fire-lookout-forest-wildfire

 

[HeavyGunner]

We just hiked up to the cyclone lookout this summer. I always wanted to man a look out but the steady job hinders that. You can also rent lookouts not in use to stay in. 

[m16ty]

Kind of OT but why does everything you read these days have to mention "global warming"? Seems everything these days is linked to the global warming hoax. Fires- global warming, too hot- global warming, too cold- global warming, too much rain-global warming, drought- global warming.

[mowerman]

It's the Democrats, they got nothing else going ahahahahahahaha... Bob

[kscarbel2]

Call it what you will, "global warming" or other, it is very "real". From Allentown to Sweden, the winters today are unlike that of 50 years ago. In our youth, Allentown was guaranteed to have a foot of snow on the ground every Christmas. Now.........nothing. Call it whatever you like, but something has changed and is continuing to change. 

If it is the pollution that mankind emits, I do have a problem with the US, European Union and other countries making its population jump thru hoops at a breakneck pace, while cesspool India, arguably the world's worth polluter and massive in scale, does nothing. Survival for all human beings on earth is a shared benefit. If the rest of the world has to make drastic and costly changes, India should be forced to as well.

Most of the heavy diesel trucks on the road in India are belching out Euro-1 emissions (EPA1998). If India and all other countries with less than Euro-5 regs forced their truck operators to all move up to Euro-5, the rest of the world could fall back to Euro-5.

[mowerman]

Don't buy it.... god is in charge and the earth is constantly changing here in Reno the weather never gets any different chain controls every night freezing cold for weeks.

[mowerman]

Got family in new Jersey and Boston they all tell me it's done nothing but snow there last couple years everyone us burned out on it.....bob

[Mcrafty1]

On 09/03/2016 at 0:06 AM, m16ty said:

Kind of OT but why does everything you read these days have to mention "global warming"? Seems everything these days is linked to the global warming hoax. Fires- global warming, too hot- global warming, too cold- global warming, too much rain-global warming, drought- global warming.

Its called 'indoctranation'

[kscarbel2]

 

On 9/3/2016 at 0:06 PM, m16ty said:

Kind of OT but why does everything you read these days have to mention "global warming"? Seems everything these days is linked to the global warming hoax. Fires- global warming, too hot- global warming, too cold- global warming, too much rain-global warming, drought- global warming.

Actually, every other news article lately has the word "transgender"...........not global warming.

As for "transgender", I'm rather tired of hearing about it.

[kscarbel2]

20 hours ago, mowerman said:

Got family in new Jersey and Boston they all tell me it's done nothing but snow there last couple years everyone us burned out on it.....bob

They're lying to you. It doesn't snow in Boston and New Jersey at all like it used to 50 years ago.

 

[mowerman]

Hahaha well alrighty then I wouldn't know ......we've had a drought here past five years but it snowed .rained pretty good last year but the west gets droughts all the time..just don't but the whole caper and if its a real thing...there's nothing man can do with it...but it does seem to me the timing has been off a bit on the stars and planets .bob

[HeavyGunner]

I don't buy global warming, it's a crock and a way for politicians (like al gore) to make tons of money off of. We've only been keeping accurate weather records for around 150 years. If you look through those records you'll see a cyclical pattern, weather patterns do change every so often. Watched a doc on the Krakatoa volcano years ago and it said that one explosion put more co2 and green house gases than we would (currently) in 100 years. Also hear how we're all going to die because of the rainforest being cut down but the same filmmaker made a doc on the taiga forest in Russia in which it stated the forest is big enough to clean the entire worlds air supply. Yet another contradiction. How many ice ages have we had?  Seems to me global warming and cooling would need to happen for that to happen, again think cyclical. Read this article it's definitely something the media and politicians would never bring up because it contradicts what they've been preaching. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2015/05/19/updated-nasa-data-polar-ice-not-receding-after-all/#6263165032da

[mowerman]

ya everyone likes to play god,,,,,the earth  and star alignment does concern me a bit i stare at the big dipper a good part of the night,,,,,and it seems to be lower than it used to be....dont know......bob

[mowerman]

On 9/3/2016 at 5:14 AM, kscarbel2 said:

Call it what you will, "global warming" or other, it is very "real". From Allentown to Sweden, the winters today are unlike that of 50 years ago. In our youth, Allentown was guaranteed to have a foot of snow on the ground every Christmas. Now.........nothing. Call it whatever you like, but something has changed and is continuing to change. 

If it is the pollution that mankind emits, I do have a problem with the US, European Union and other countries making its population jump thru hoops at a breakneck pace, while cesspool India, arguably the world's worth polluter and massive in scale, does nothing. Survival for all human beings on earth is a shared benefit. If the rest of the world has to make drastic and costly changes, India should be forced to as well.

Most of the heavy diesel trucks on the road in India are belching out Euro-1 emissions (EPA1998). If India and all other countries with less than Euro-5 regs forced their truck operators to all move up to Euro-5, the rest of the world could fall back to Euro-5.

lol   dont get me wrong   i certainly appreciate your oppinion,,,,and you might be right..i never claim to know it all....if its a true fact....we can do all we want to save the planet,,,,while china ...doesnt give a rats ass what happens to it.....bob

[david wild]

It's all Trumps fault

[HeavyGunner]

 

[BillyT]

I was six when we had the "big snow of 1950" 3feet ! My dad went on a "tow job" in his 201 Diamond T wrecker with single rear wheels.20 miles away,broke an axle,didn't return till the following afternoon.Took a streetcar to my Grandparents,spent the night,was waiting for another streetcar,got a ride home in his friends wrecker a chevy(how embarrassing)! Put a two speed axle from a  2ton Ford on the wrecker( that ain't happening again!) The next climatic event I remember was when it went to -27 in 1977 made some money thawing pipe with my welder, also welding on J and L Steels barge fleet on the Mon river. The ice tore up the hulls.funny how bad weather creates opportunities! The next cold spell I remember was 90 or 91 it's -25 in Bristol In.I'm loading 3 explorer conversion vans. Got frostbite with gloves on! Then in about 07 it gets down to 17degrees here in Florida! And the pipes freeze! Can't thaw pvc pipe with a welder! Used a hair dryer! Anyway where I'm going with all this is these events might be anomaly it would appear there is overwhelming scientific proof in favor of global warming,scientists as a group tend to be apolitical,even antipolitical! To their credit! I don't know any more than the rest of you. On the other side of the coin this has been the hottest summer in a long time in "gator country" Maybe another anomaly?  Don't know! David,looks like a double wall xerces tank,spelled it wrong,I think!

 

 

[Brocky]

Yes there is global warming. We are still coming out of the last Ice Age. Historically winters have been getting easier since before America was founded.. Has man sped it up?? Probably, BUT NOT to the extent our politicians are telling us!! Remember several hundred thousand / million years ago Alaska was a tropic paradise with dinosaurs and now it is oil and then the sea level was low enough for humans to walk from Siberia to Alaska!! When will it reverse again? Only God knows!!!

[other dog]

On 9/3/2016 at 0:29 PM, mowerman said:

Don't buy it.... god is in charge and the earth is constantly changing here in Reno the weather never gets any different chain controls every night freezing cold for weeks.

I'm out of likes, but i'm with you on that Bob.

[other dog]

On 9/4/2016 at 10:48 AM, HeavyGunner said:

I don't buy global warming, it's a crock and a way for politicians (like al gore) to make tons of money off of. We've only been keeping accurate weather records for around 150 years. If you look through those records you'll see a cyclical pattern, weather patterns do change every so often. Watched a doc on the Krakatoa volcano years ago and it said that one explosion put more co2 and green house gases than we would (currently) in 100 years. Also hear how we're all going to die because of the rainforest being cut down but the same filmmaker made a doc on the taiga forest in Russia in which it stated the forest is big enough to clean the entire worlds air supply. Yet another contradiction. How many ice ages have we had?  Seems to me global warming and cooling would need to happen for that to happen, again think cyclical. Read this article it's definitely something the media and politicians would never bring up because it contradicts what they've been preaching. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2015/05/19/updated-nasa-data-polar-ice-not-receding-after-all/#6263165032da

I'm out of likes, but i'm with you on that HeavyGunner.

[other dog]

On 9/4/2016 at 11:46 AM, david wild said:

It's all Trumps fault

And i'm kind of glad it is, I was tired of George Bush getting blamed for everything!

[other dog]

On 9/4/2016 at 7:31 PM, Brocky said:

Yes there is global warming. We are still coming out of the last Ice Age. Historically winters have been getting easier since before America was founded.. Has man sped it up?? Probably, BUT NOT to the extent our politicians are telling us!! Remember several hundred thousand / million years ago Alaska was a tropic paradise with dinosaurs and now it is oil and then the sea level was low enough for humans to walk from Siberia to Alaska!! When will it reverse again? Only God knows!!!

I'm out of likes, but i'm with you on that Brocky! 

[Dirtymilkman]

My dad always said when he was younger they were worried about another ice age happening. I do believe the weather is changing, but it's always going to change no matter what we do. I don't think there's a god up there toying with our weather saying let's make it warmer. In Minnesota it's been all over the board. 20 years ago we had some really warm winters and lately they've be colder except for last year. 

[james j neiweem]

Global warming an excuse for the first ever global tax to save the planet.