https://www.instagram.com/fire_lookout_boys?igsh=OTJqNHo4dHg2dDN6&utm_source=qr

Spent two days manning Red Top Lookout in Washington. It was a wonderful experience!

I visited the Ute Mountain Fire Lookout Tower today. Awesome piece of history. One thing that I noticed was that the Osborne Fire Finder was connected to the tower's lightning arrest grounds. (There's a thick bare copper wire bolted to the stand and connected to the ground cables outside of the tower.) The device isn't electrical in any way. What would the reason be to ground it?

All US federal lookouts are represented by our Union, the National Federation of Federal Employees.

But did you know you can actually be a part of the Union? Dues are only $35.32 per pay period. That may seem like a lot, and that you may not get that investment back. I understand, it’s hard to give someone your money without any guarantee that you’ll get anything back from them.

Let me tell you about something the Union has done for me lately. This season, our lookouts got per diem for being at our lookouts. That’s $40.80 a day. Doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s $500+ per pay period. The Union was instrumental in getting this benefit for us, so $35.32 for $500+ is a fantastic return on investment.

Also, please be active in your Union. We’re starting a newsletter to let our members know what our Union has been doing. So many of our members don’t understand the work that is done on their behalf that it’s important to get the word out.

I hope that all my fellow USFS lookouts are already members and active in their local, but if not, here is a link to learn more

https://nffe.org/

Im an 18 year US Citizen in Washington State with 9mo of work experience, HS Diploma, & Skills with the Osborne Firefinder and Topographic Maps. But looking at the current lookout postings for Arizona, it appears that 6 months of forestry/federal experience OR a higher education in something Forestry related is required. I dont have either... I assume that becoming a lookout is not possible, atleast not this year...

I'll try to get some volunteer experience with something related to forestry this coming winter/spring.

Reposted to add more information

I just started painting this season, This is my 3rd canvas after having sketched it a couple times. My wife say it's beautiful but I need some honest opinions here 😅.

Is this worth leaving at the site for the next one (although most likely that would be me, but who knows) or should I just being it back home instead ?

So.. Would YOU, as a Lookout, be happy to find this or would it go directly to the garbage on your first service ?

Just curious to know if any Arizona or New Mexico lookouts are subscribing to this sub, as I would be interested to know about how you survive desert temperatures and whether or not you have power and AC.

tiktok lookouts making money using their federal jobs as content, am I insane or is that extremely not allowed/borderline illegal?

This thing was made in the early 1900 and it look like a radio tower but it in the middle of no where it located on lac denin sennterre it take about a 2km hike from the cabin going straight up hill

Hiked up to the top of mount Tam! Last Pic is the view of a first fire from the tower. Luckily the fire lookout at the tower said it was controlled.

There are two job listings for Lookout currently open and posted at USAJobs.gov under "Forestry Technician (Lookout)". There are five locations open, all located in Arizona. Pay starts at $17/hr full time temporary. You must be a US citizen or US National to apply.

Inspired by the recent union events in Alberta, I'm looking for oppinions on if lookouts are paid "fairly"

I understand that many lookouts in other parts of the world are volunteers and are "paid in sunsets." I definitely beleive there are priceless aspects of this job. At the same time, working 7 days a week for months on end is quite taxing and lookouts absolutely deserve compensation for the work they do in my oppinion.

To my understanding most of Alberta's lookouts make ~$150 a day and have some benefits. For anyone thats not from AB, our minimum wage is $15/hr. I'm not sure how much lookouts in other parts of the world are paid, but I'd be interested in learning more.

Do you beleive that we are paid an adequate amount for the work we do? If not, what do you think would be appropriate, and why? I'm specifically asking about Alberta but I'm absolutely open to perspectives from all lookouts.

(random image from online for attention).

Hey folks,

There’s some lookout applications posted right now on USAJobs, all in the American Southwest for the U.S. Forest Service. In years past, Region 3 of the USFS has flown positions late summer, and then a much larger round of hiring comes in the fall.

So if you’re an aspiring lookout, or a returning looking for a change of scenery, now is the time to polish off your résumé and start researching some districts. For aspiring lookouts in particular, this is a good opportunity to carefully read through the Position Description and Eligibility requirements to ensure that your application meets the criteria. If you haven’t already, set up a job alert so you’ll know when the main body of postings comes out in a few months.

If you’re not dead set on another Region, like hot sunny weather, and have strong opinions on green chile, now’s your chance to work a lookout in Arizona or New Mexico!

Around 5 AM my dogs woke me up to something outside. It was nearly pitch black out, but I saw the silhouette of a lean canine on the steps on my camper parked at the lookout. I figured it was a coyote or maybe a fox checking out the smells of my dogs. I swung the door open and yelled something unintelligible as it ran off. Early this morning we found an empty water bowl and a tired pup inside. Best part: He was reunited with his owners within half a day! They graze cattle nearby and he'd gone missing several days ago.

Took this photo a few years ago, just found this subreddit and thought I'd share.

Basically what the title says, I want to save the job title search on USAJOBS so I can get to job postings as soon as they’re uploaded.

Just wanted to say that I've heard the criticisms about the continual posts from people who dream of being a lookout someday ... and I've also heard the feedback that some of the responses to those posts come across as condescending.

I wish more people would spend a few minutes reading the sub before leaving their first post here ... but they won't, and that's the nature of Reddit in general. That said, I'm going to start deleting very basic job search posts more aggressively, after referring folks to the pinned post about finding a lookout job.

I'm also going to start deleting comments that come across as being obviously condescending. You should link new posters to the pinned post instead, and if you think that a post deserves an aggressive response, just report it and I'll deal with it. And please remember that people who leave those posts do so because they find our lives and our work fascinating -- so take it as a compliment.

I've updated the pinned post with some additional information that's been seen in many of these recent threads, and the awareness that finding a lookout job today is a lot harder than it was when that post was first written. With the current political craziness, encouraging obviously inexperienced job applicants is disingenuous and cruel.

Thanks.

I’m writing a short story (horror) about a fire lookout and would really appreciate if someone who’s worked the job can reach out to answer some questions it’s important to me that I get little details as right as I can for a fictitious story

There seem to be a long metal tower on lac denin senneterre it been there minimu 1960 what is it?

There's been a lot of repetitive threads about the same things, so I thought switching it up might be nice change of pace.

Active or former lookouts, what's your comfort or "luxury" item that others might not think of as important, but you're always going to take it with you? Could be a book you love to reread, a favorite meal you cook, your fancy coffee setup, just really anything that makes it feel more like home.

I'll kick it off: I've brought a small puzzle both seasons to have something to do each morning to get my brain moving, this year it's Kanoodle. I keep a small car vacuum that uses the same charger as my phone and it makes keeping everything clean a thousand times easier. I lost my dad during the off season, so I've got one of his frying pans for cooking, helps make both him and home feel not as far.

So, what are your must-haves that might surprise someone who's never been a lookout?

Let's say you're 16 years old. Let's say you just finished playing the game "Firewatch." Let's say you live in a country other than the U.S. or Canada. And now, you want to be a lookout because it "looks neat" from what you've seen on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. And you've come here asking for advice on how to make that happen.

Well, we are generally too polite to tell you the truth right off the bat, which is that - especially if you don't already live in North America - your chances range between "unlikely" and "impossible".

The reality of the situation is that the job has been heavily romanticized ever since the invention of cell phones and social media. It's a short-term temporary seasonal position, NOT a career. It's low paying. No benefits. Ususally no unemployment. It lasts between ten weeks in northern forests to five or six months in southern deserts. The job openings are RARE because people who get the job, hold onto the job. This is what the hiring managers are looking for, not a teenager who is curious to do it a single season and then never return. The job openings are becoming RARER every year because of budget cuts, and technology making lookouts obsolete. Every summer, fewer lookouts are staffed, fewer lookouts are paid, fewer lookouts even exist. Lookouts are, sadly, becoming a relic of a bygone era.

Here's more reality: Most lookouts do not have electricity aside from what a solar panel can provide; many don't even have a cell signal; NONE have easy access to water. Some are located in the rugged boondocks with no visitors at all, others are right off the pavement and swamped with tourists. None provide an environment suitable for people addicted to daily hot showers, access to Netflix, and ordering from Door Dash. This is not a suitable place to play games online for hours uninterrupted, not even "Firewatch."

The absolute truth of the matter is that most lookouts got their jobs by knowing somebody. They either worked for the local fire crew, or volunteered on a trail crew, or got a summer appointment at Job Corps in a region where lookouts are located. Others got the job by dint of studying forestry-related topics in college.

All the nitty gritty you need to know about how to actually apply for the job is in posts pinned to this sub. Additionally, if you care to take a moment and sift through this sub's history, you will find dozens/hundreds/thousands of times this same question has been asked - and answered politely - before. There is not much anybody can add aside from what has already been said. It's been written down and recorded so you can easily access the information instead of asking us yet again.

Here is the absolutely best method of finding a job on a lookout: Visit lookouts. Talk to the personnel staffing the lookouts. Ask them questions! Find out how they got the position, find out if there are other staffed lookouts in the region, find out if they are intending to return next summer, find out the name of their boss. Talk to that boss.

Getting a job if you are unable to do this is not impossible, just harder. For that, you will need to study the material previously provided here.

Good luck and Godspeed.

I grew up in this area and had no idea it existed.

Not my blog and don't know the author so posting based on a bit of embarrassment that I didn't know this existed. Now on the list (next visit to the parents).

I’m not graduated yet but think this would be a good first job to escape family and get free housing. I’m also a musician, so being alone and having time and space to make music would be very beneficial for me. But how hard is it to get the job? I’m also in Washington state which has a lot of forest and fires.