r/firelookouts • u/lethoso • Jul 05 '25

Lookout Questions Anyone know if Jasper Alberta has firewatch lookout positions?

I’m 19 and for some reason I want nothing more than to Firewatch in a tower in the mountains. I have seen that Alberta has some jobs apparently but I would need to do it in the mountains if I were gonna be there for that long. I’ve also heard this job has sorta disappeared in BC so I don’t have a lot of faith that it’s possible to Firewatch in the mountains anymore as a job.

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u/triviaqueen Jul 05 '25

I'm a fire lookout in the western us and I can tell you that in my region you would stand no chance whatsoever of getting a job on a lookout tower unless you had a background in either firefighting or or had some sort of educational background that would lend itself to the job. Usually they hire from within so getting on a fire crew would be a good first step.

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u/Reptilian_Brain_420 Jul 05 '25

The process in Alberta isn't a rigorous.

You do need to demonstrate an ability to work very independently and have some basic skills that would be used for the job. It certainly isn't an "I've only ever worked retail" job.

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u/triviaqueen Jul 05 '25

"But hey, I played every level of the Firewatch game!"

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u/Reptilian_Brain_420 Jul 05 '25

My first though when I see "firewatch" in reference to a fire lookout.