Fire Lookouts: The Early Years

The early years in the development of the fire lookout system were fraught with difficult decisions, hard work, and danger. Roads and trails had to be built, materials had to be transported. Building materials and supplies were carried up steep, treacherous mountainsides on the backs of horses, mules, and men. Primitive conditions were met with courage, grit, and determination. The people who built, and the people who staffed these lookouts were often exposed to extremes in weather: heat, blizzards, wind, and lightning. Occasional accidents and illnesses were to be expected and sometimes had tragic consequences. The earliest lookouts consisted of the top of a tree; an alidade mounted on a crude support or on a tripod; or simply a mountain top where an observer scanned the surrounding countryside with a powerful field glass, always on the alert for the slighted wisp of smoke. The historical information in these volumes is the culmination of many years of research of original documents by Ron Kemnow for his website, ronkemnow.weebly.com. Also included are many historical photographs. Some of the older photographs and picture postcards are of poor quality, but were included for their historical value. This book is not in narrative form, but is a collection of official reports, letters, and news articles, presented as they were originally written.