A Brief History of Fire Towers

Fire Towers are icons of America’s conservation history. Dating back as early as the 19th century, fire lookouts have been keeping watch over America’s public lands for generations now. And although new technologies have come and gone, many fire towers are still in use. And they still play a crucial role in fighting wildfires.

This video is, in many ways, a love letter to these icons of the American wilderness. I trace the complete history of fire towers, from their 19th century roots to their modern-day mythical status. You’ll get to learn about the Osborne Firefinder, the quintessential fire detection device in use for over a century now as well.

You’ll also find an excellent collection of US Forest Service historical photos, showcasing a wide variety of 20th century fire towers, locations, employees, and more. If you’re interested, I’d highly recommend checking out the full album, as only a fraction of them could fit in the video. It truly is a fascinating glimpse into the history of the US Forest Service: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfores...

And if you want to learn more about how we fight wildfires on public lands, check out my video on that here:    • How to Fight a Wildfire  

Enjoy!