r/firelookouts • u/Dayala2002 • Jul 16 '25

Lookout Pics Vetter Mountain Lookout

This season we have so many new Volunteer Fire Lookouts. I think the LA fires in January helped motive people to sign up. But that also means that I'll have less shifts this season. So far Vetter has been open almost every day this season.

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u/Botany_Dave Jul 16 '25

Why are volunteers needed? The lookouts on our forest are staffed by paid employees.

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u/Dayala2002 Jul 16 '25

Someone somewhere decided that the lookouts were no longer needed in the Angeles National Forest. There are many lookouts across the US that are staffed by volunteers. Some lookouts are staffed by employees and volunteers. In the Angeles we are down to two active lookouts. The organization Angeles National Forest Fire Lookout aka ANFFLA helps maintain and operate the last two lookouts. We are hopeing to get another 2 up and running soon. But there is a lot of red tape and we have been struggling to staff the 2 we have. Hopefully now with the increase in volunteers we can open the there lookoutas.