Saving the Old Forest Fire Lookouts
Thursday, September 27, 2012 @ 3:56 AM
Work underway to restore Owen Hill Forest Fire Lookout station – photo courtesy B.C. Government
Houston, B.C.- The restoration of the Owen Hill forest fire lookout should be complete by the middle of October.
The Owen Hill site is one of five such sites being restored in B.C. as part of the B.C. Forest Service’s 100th birthday. It was chosen for restoration based on its location, accessibility, community use and historical significance.
The Houston Hikers Society is also a partner in restoring the lookout and installing new signs.
While there are more than 300 forest fire lookouts in the province, only 20 are considered active and used by the Wildfire Management Branch.
The other sites undergoing restoration work are in Terrace, Enderby, Kaslo and Boston Bar. There are six lookouts that are being inspected and assessed for possible restoration next year.
Although the lookouts may not be used for their initial intended purpose anymore, they are used by many who enjoy the back country including snowmobilers, hikers, and ATV enthusiasts.
Comments
That’s really nice, a cabin out in the middle of nowhere on top of a mountain that few will ever see. A good emergency shelter but build a cabin anywhere else in the bush where people often go, to be used for the same purpose, (an emergency shelter) and the Forestry will burn it down.
I love hiking/biking up to old lookouts. So do MANY others. I am looking forward to seeing others get renovated. It brings back many wonderful memories of visiting the lookouts with my grandparents and meeting the Forestry lookout folks who spent months each year in those lookouts. One thing I learned very young – NEVER challenge someone who spends months in a lookout playing cards to a game of crib if you’re not ready for a beat-down. They were sharks.
Actually, It’s Lands, not Forestry that used to be responsible for removing unauthorized structures from Crown Land (although I think they are now in the same Ministry) Back in the day, Lands staff occaisionally had the Forest Service Initial Attack crews help out. The IA crews loved burning down unauthorized structures in the bush, often using the unofficial slogan “We’d rather light ’em than fight ’em”…
Same as log landings that aren’t used anymore if they find log piled there,they burn it, and then bitch about us not cutting fuel costs to heat our homes, why not let us the taxpayer have it for firewood. Use some common sence for a change, quit being so damn ignorant about it.
You’re allowed to cut 50 cubic meters of fire wood for your own use. There’s plenty of other wood out there for you. Some one has paid for and owns the wood on the landings.
Zack, were unauthorised structures really a problem for forest fires? Just wondering because I never heard of that as a reason. And I’m happy that a lot of you go and visit the old lookouts.
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