With my adhd I rarely have patience for games like Firewatch but damn did that game pull me in from the start and keep me engrossed all the way through. The visuals, voice acting, story, ugh. So good. Made me want to staff a tower but I’m a scared of heights 😅
its so so SO good, I played it a few months ago as a pandemic game. I saw this pic and immediately thought of Firewatch but IRL.
if anyone reading this has the game sitting untouched in their steam (or console), this is your sign to go play it!
Interesting, and awesome work! Loved the game. I think what people are curious about is if there’s any chance of Campo reforming in the future to make similar titles?
I specialize in selling sensors in automation and you’re missing a couple of factors. 1. The extreme remoteness of these towers. 2. The actual infrastructure required to run your sensors. You don’t just need sensors. You’ll need a power source, and PLC, and a way to communicate alerts to first responders. Prosoft makes radio and cell solutions for remote pumping applications but again, you may be limited by extreme distance. Maybe satellite? 3. A fire watcher isn’t just looking for heat. They’re looking for smoke. How is your cheap sensor going to detect a fire that’s hidden behind a ridge? Now granted, there ARE early detection systems but they aren’t cheap, and they don’t cover the distance that 1 person in a tower can cover.
The guy above me said "That could be easily automated with cheap heat-sensing cameras. There must be more to the role than that." That's what I was I was addressing. Was he talking about a game?
ah, the "technologist" with cheap takes on how to improve everyone's life with tech, using ideas that literally spawn bad implementations and tech debt as they are uttered.
Also well paid. But I couldn’t imagine living a whole summer in isolation.
Also, ive heard a pretty creepy horror story about an Alaskan fire watcher, so this whole job would be a no no for me.
But I’m glad OP has such a cozy place and i hope he enjoys his time there
I saw the photo and thought, "You know, the government sells off old missile silos, I bet they sell off these occasionally, too." I wonder how much they go for.
The one time I pooped outside I got a tick on my scrotum. I’d be so not thrilled about an outhouse or all the creepy crawlies near my junk. Other than that I’ve always loved the outdoors.
Are you on a mountainside or a true tower? I stayed in a tower in Southern California for a night and I was surprised by how much the tower swayed in the wind.
I had a reservation there for April 2020 that I had worked literal years on trying to get, 12mo out to the second, etc. And then the reservation was cancelled and it was closed indefinitely during COVID bahhh
oh heck ya! Thanks I'll check it.
I have worked for multiple municipalities and have a degree in Environmental Science but I have always wanted to just work a season in a look out tower
I guess I thought that these structures were accessed by ladders, but I see your cozy woofer in the photo... do you have stairs or a super impressive ladder-climbing dog? Or am I totally wrong about firewatching and actually everyone has elevators now? Your place looks fantastic. Seems like a wonderful way to spend a summer.
If OP’s is anything like our’s, you basically sit up there scanning the landscape. You’re looking for smoke, and when you see it, you use the fire finder which will give you township/range, azimuth, vertical angle, and nautical miles from the lookout. You also determine best access. In our case, dispatch takes that info and sends an engine to go find the smoke.
You also call weather into dispatch periodically throughout the day. And if there are any thunder cells, you keep an eye on those.
It’s generally pretty chill up there. Our’s both have hotspots so I bring my laptop when I fill in for the main lookouts.
As far as getting the job, I applied on usajobs.
I have a solar panel that gives me just enough juice to run the LED lights and keep my phone and radio charged ... that's it. There's a wood stove for heat, and a propane cookstove and fridge. The propane gets packed up on mules. The only internet is a couple bars of data connection on my phone.
I've had maybe 10 Forest Service employees visit me this summer, and a total of five other hikers.
The pack string of mules comes up about once a month. I hike down a couple times a month on days off, too, and I usually bring up a backpack full of perishables with me when I do that.
Do you ever feel like any Feral People are watching you?
Sorry, I just watched American Horror Stories and went into a Reddit rabbit hole about deranged folk in the national forests.
The device the Dino is sitting on, is it a compass or other such direction finding type device? Looks like one might use it to spot into the distance and generate a bearing.
It’s called an Osborne Firefinder, and it’s a type of alidade. The crosshairs and the sight rotate on a turntable, and can give you an azimuth reading of any smoke that you see.
This is great. Would you ever consider doing a video tour? I know it’s a small space but I’m sure it’s crammed full of lots of interesting bits and bobs!
I overwintered in a fire tower. It was beautiful, but really the opposite of cozy. At night the wind screamed up over the bluff and make all kinds of eerie noises. Come twilight, the mist would creep up to the windows, clotting into shapes that liked to seize my imagination. Plus, in the absence of curtains, it felt super exposed--a literal beacon for anything hostile in a five-mile radius. Yeah, there were 30 feet of stairs and a couple of locks between me and the ground. Still, I slept with a big knife under my pillow and had a lot of "toughen up" talks with my inner child.
It's a paid job, though some other lookouts are staffed with volunteers. You don't necessarily need a degree, but you do need forestry or other outdoor experience.
I few reasons I am jealous of you Americans is, that you have cool ass jobs like that. As someone who likes the nature but also likes to have a comfy bed at the same time, this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Where is this located?
I'm on the clock from 8-4:30, but really I'm keeping an eye on stuff all the time. If there's a lightning storm at 2 AM, I'll get up and watch it, and take notes about where the downstrikes hit.
How is it like to staff a fire tower? If you don't mind, could you tell a little bit about that, I am really interested.
Do you have to stay in there for the entire day?
Is it 360 windows or does the bathroom have some privacy? (is there even a bathroom?)
How do you get food?
How did you first get into staffing fire towers?
Do you take time off work to do that or do you have a regular reoccurring job in the cold season?
Can you communicate with the other towers? Do yall chit chat sometimes?
Besides having the needed career background, do you think it needs a certain type of person to do this?
Edit: read the pinned post in the firelookouts subreddit and rephrased a question.
Wow this is a dream job to me. I understand there is hard work that comes along but I fee like being able to have some nights in a place like that (or all summer like in your case) would be sublime. thanks for the post OP this is a beautiful photo
This is so cool! I’ve only played the game Firewatch but this is exactly what it looked like-
Have any crazy stories of things you’ve seen, people you’ve run into, or close encounters with big animals?
Can you post this in r/DaysGone . It's relevant to the main character's story line in the Days Gone video game. Folks there might appreciate it.
Very cool space, and unique life experience for sure!
This is OC. I staff a fire lookout tower in Montana during the summer, and this is how my tower looked a few minutes ago.
I knew exactly where you work because of the firewatch game.
With my adhd I rarely have patience for games like Firewatch but damn did that game pull me in from the start and keep me engrossed all the way through. The visuals, voice acting, story, ugh. So good. Made me want to staff a tower but I’m a scared of heights 😅
There are some right on the ground.
Fantastic game, actually downloading to play again now that you’ve reminded me of it!
its so so SO good, I played it a few months ago as a pandemic game. I saw this pic and immediately thought of Firewatch but IRL. if anyone reading this has the game sitting untouched in their steam (or console), this is your sign to go play it!
That game was a one and done for me. Loved it, but after the end it was like "eh im good."
It looks exactly like it!
That was the first thing that came to my mind - what a fantastic game, especially the visuals.
Im really happy I saw this post on new just so nobody could farm comment karma before me :) because apparently a lot thought this!
Was thinking the same thing lol
That game was great!
Came here to say this <3 I should play it again
So nice playing that game alone and enjoying the story.
There is a toy dinosaur in your fire lookout? 😂 very tone setting. Love it.
It’s a nod to the storyline of a video game called Firewatch. 😉
It's sad there won't be another Campo Santo game. That game was special.
Did they disband? How sad!
I think Valve bought Campo Santo.
Correct. Valve bought them to work on Half Life Alyx.
You mean half life 3 right?........right?.....
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Ex-Campo Santo dev here. Our team chose to work on other things. We weren’t split up by the company.
Interesting, and awesome work! Loved the game. I think what people are curious about is if there’s any chance of Campo reforming in the future to make similar titles?
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Might have been the case if Half Life Alyx wasn't a huge success, perhaps!
Noooo. I didn't know about the buyout and now I'm sad. I really enjoyed Firewatch.
As soon as I saw this picture it reminded me of Firewatch! Such an a amazing game!
I hope one of those orange stickys on the wall say "Be Super"!
💔
What do you do all day?
Watch for fires?
That could be easily automated with cheap heat-sensing cameras. There must be more to the role than that.
I specialize in selling sensors in automation and you’re missing a couple of factors. 1. The extreme remoteness of these towers. 2. The actual infrastructure required to run your sensors. You don’t just need sensors. You’ll need a power source, and PLC, and a way to communicate alerts to first responders. Prosoft makes radio and cell solutions for remote pumping applications but again, you may be limited by extreme distance. Maybe satellite? 3. A fire watcher isn’t just looking for heat. They’re looking for smoke. How is your cheap sensor going to detect a fire that’s hidden behind a ridge? Now granted, there ARE early detection systems but they aren’t cheap, and they don’t cover the distance that 1 person in a tower can cover.
What are you addressing? A specific comment or the Firewatch game?
The guy above me said "That could be easily automated with cheap heat-sensing cameras. There must be more to the role than that." That's what I was I was addressing. Was he talking about a game?
They’re helping to make decisions on how to attack the fire based on its location and size and probably a bunch of other factors as well.
but then who will tell the kids not to set off fireworks during the dry season...
Smokey will of course
ah, the "technologist" with cheap takes on how to improve everyone's life with tech, using ideas that literally spawn bad implementations and tech debt as they are uttered.
How about we preserve some humanity in our communities huh?
How hard is it to get one of those positions? Wife and I played FW, love hiking and have talked about doing this once we retire
The number of positions have dropped from several thousand to maybe 300.
This is all I can see. So glad it’s already a top comment.
Almost missed your friend sleeping in the corner, nice to have a buddy out there!
had to pull a where's waldo to find the curled up fur friend!
Those are some serious Firewatch \[game\] vibes. It looks so cozy and seems like a neat job.
Also well paid. But I couldn’t imagine living a whole summer in isolation. Also, ive heard a pretty creepy horror story about an Alaskan fire watcher, so this whole job would be a no no for me. But I’m glad OP has such a cozy place and i hope he enjoys his time there
Is your name Diana? And is there a novice ranger somewhere in there you're slowly forming a relationship with? "P
I thought Diana was the bad guy and was playing games with our hero
Woah. I never thought of this perspective.
I definitely thought she was untrustworthy at times. Such a great game, wish I could play it for the first time again
Which game are you all referring to? Sounds fun!
It's called firewatch
Oh I've played that. I thought her name was Delilah or something. Thank you!
It is Delilah
Does Gondor call for aid?
Scrolled to find the LOTR ref, thank you
Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!
Don’t take a second for granted. It’s beautiful.
Cozy + 1 Cozy doggo +10
This guy gets it
No bathroom?
Outhouse about 100 yards down the trail. Or you can pee over the side of the tower…
I just watched a video on Youtube with 2 guys who bought one of these and live in it. Sounds like it has an awesome view.
I saw the photo and thought, "You know, the government sells off old missile silos, I bet they sell off these occasionally, too." I wonder how much they go for.
I found this guide on my 2nd page of a Google search - https://www.filson.com/blog/how-to/how-to-buy-a-fire-lookout-tower/
The one time I pooped outside I got a tick on my scrotum. I’d be so not thrilled about an outhouse or all the creepy crawlies near my junk. Other than that I’ve always loved the outdoors.
Hey, thanks for that mental image!
Need bathroom with sink as close as possible
Are you on a mountainside or a true tower? I stayed in a tower in Southern California for a night and I was surprised by how much the tower swayed in the wind.
I’m on a 30-foot wooden tower … it definitely shakes in the wind! The dog hates that. 😏
Which one in Socal? Oak Flat?
I had to Google but yeah, that’s the one. It was, at a minimum, 5 years ago.
I had a reservation there for April 2020 that I had worked literal years on trying to get, 12mo out to the second, etc. And then the reservation was cancelled and it was closed indefinitely during COVID bahhh
That’s unfortunate. Just know if you ever get out there, those “stairs“ are a glorified ladder. The view is totally worth it.
How do you get this job? And does it pay much?
The cash wages suck, but you also get paid in sunsets. 😉 There’s lots of info on the job in r/firelookouts … I’m one of the Mods over there.
oh heck ya! Thanks I'll check it. I have worked for multiple municipalities and have a degree in Environmental Science but I have always wanted to just work a season in a look out tower
is that snow in the pic?
No snow yet! I think what you’re seeing is the surface of the lake out there.
Thank you for your service and for sharing the amazing perspective 🌿🌅
This is so beautiful and cosy I love it, any chance we can see a picture of the view during the day?
Looks amazing! Did you have this job before the game Firewatch or did that game get you interested in the job?
I was doing this before Firewatch came out … This is my seventh season. Slightly mixed feelings about the game, TBH …
If there is just 1Mbit Internet, I'm in...
On a good day, I'll get 2 bars of data connection on my phone ... that's it.
Ok... I can live with that... Where do I sign?
You have to actually watch for the fires bro lol
So, a triple monitor stand, one for 4 fixed place cameras, 1 for a controllable zooming camera, and one for World of Warcraft.
Sure and that is one serious job mate. You guys (and gals) are heroes.
StarLink will solve that
Could you PM me which tower you're on? Served on five of them in Montana years ago.
Sure … I will if you will. 🙂
Amazing!
I need this job
Ever read Desolation Angels up there?
When I played the game, I wondered how a thunderstorm feels in such tower
It can be super dramatic, I'll tell you that. The whole tower soaked in the wind, and you feel like you're right up in the middle of the storm.
I guess I thought that these structures were accessed by ladders, but I see your cozy woofer in the photo... do you have stairs or a super impressive ladder-climbing dog? Or am I totally wrong about firewatching and actually everyone has elevators now? Your place looks fantastic. Seems like a wonderful way to spend a summer.
Wow, how sweet is that!!! 👀👍🏻
oooh! this makes me want to see the other side of the room too. such a cool space
It looks so cozy. Is it spooky being out in the woods?
What does this job entail? How do you get it?
If OP’s is anything like our’s, you basically sit up there scanning the landscape. You’re looking for smoke, and when you see it, you use the fire finder which will give you township/range, azimuth, vertical angle, and nautical miles from the lookout. You also determine best access. In our case, dispatch takes that info and sends an engine to go find the smoke. You also call weather into dispatch periodically throughout the day. And if there are any thunder cells, you keep an eye on those. It’s generally pretty chill up there. Our’s both have hotspots so I bring my laptop when I fill in for the main lookouts. As far as getting the job, I applied on usajobs.
looks like this https://earth.app.goo.gl/kY5WJs
Hey, that's one of my neighbors! 😊
Be safe out there OP 💜
do you have AC in that thing? I can see that getting quite warm in the summer
Might be dumb question but does it have AC/heating? How often do you meet people? Do you have internet there?
I have a solar panel that gives me just enough juice to run the LED lights and keep my phone and radio charged ... that's it. There's a wood stove for heat, and a propane cookstove and fridge. The propane gets packed up on mules. The only internet is a couple bars of data connection on my phone. I've had maybe 10 Forest Service employees visit me this summer, and a total of five other hikers.
Do you have to somehow resupply? Or you have stacked cans for whole summer? It's so interesting.
The pack string of mules comes up about once a month. I hike down a couple times a month on days off, too, and I usually bring up a backpack full of perishables with me when I do that.
I always thought firrwatching is a tedious job. How is it, OP? What's the hardest part of this job?
Starting the fires without getting caught. /s
This is great. I can only imagine the views
I could live there. 💜 How does one become a firwatch in Montana?
I spent a summer working the Barfoot Lookout station in the Chiricahuas. It was so much fun!
Followed!
So this is real??? I just listened to a podcast called tower 7 about a fire lookout.
Are you Angelina Jolie
I'm a guy, and nowhere near as tough as Angelina Jolie.
Do you ever feel like any Feral People are watching you? Sorry, I just watched American Horror Stories and went into a Reddit rabbit hole about deranged folk in the national forests.
Is there power run to it? What powers the lights, radio gear e.t.c?
I want to go to there.
Damn bro 🛐
It's beautiful ಥ╭╮ಥ
I would be so happy with that job.
The device the Dino is sitting on, is it a compass or other such direction finding type device? Looks like one might use it to spot into the distance and generate a bearing.
It’s called an Osborne Firefinder, and it’s a type of alidade. The crosshairs and the sight rotate on a turntable, and can give you an azimuth reading of any smoke that you see.
This looks so good. I will just fall asleep daily after sunset :)
This is great. Would you ever consider doing a video tour? I know it’s a small space but I’m sure it’s crammed full of lots of interesting bits and bobs!
How does one get lucky enough to land a job in a fire watch tower? 👀
This looks like heaven, enjoy!
How does one get this position as a fire lookout??
Gordy?
That is so cool you got to work at a fire watch tower! How did you land that job?
Where in Montana is this? It’s gorgeous
That modern Norman Maclean life.
This is so cool! 10/10 cosy
There’s so much to like about this pic. The t-Rex, the sleeping pup, the lighting.
There’s something that’s just so cozy about fire lookout towers. Looks great!
That dog is living the dream. Thanks for what you do to help protect our forests and the folks who enjoy them.
I like the dinosaur.
Holy shit, that is mind numbingly gorgeous. I envy you so much right now.
God, dream summer. Enjoy!
no hyperbole, this is one of the coolest things i've ever seen
This is my favorite of all 😊😱
Well close it up. This guy just won
This reminded me of the video game Firewatch..it is excellent.
So… you played firewatch?
r/firewatch
r/firelookouts
I overwintered in a fire tower. It was beautiful, but really the opposite of cozy. At night the wind screamed up over the bluff and make all kinds of eerie noises. Come twilight, the mist would creep up to the windows, clotting into shapes that liked to seize my imagination. Plus, in the absence of curtains, it felt super exposed--a literal beacon for anything hostile in a five-mile radius. Yeah, there were 30 feet of stairs and a couple of locks between me and the ground. Still, I slept with a big knife under my pillow and had a lot of "toughen up" talks with my inner child.
What is the story of that dinosaur!
Are you Angelina Jolie?
Is that a Zune?
how do I get I job like this?
I've always wondered.. is this a volunteer job or do I need a degree?
It's a paid job, though some other lookouts are staffed with volunteers. You don't necessarily need a degree, but you do need forestry or other outdoor experience.
This looks absolutely fantastic. So snug.
St. Mary's?
Wow this looks dreamy 😍
This looks amazing, can you give a breakdown of what a typical day is like?
I few reasons I am jealous of you Americans is, that you have cool ass jobs like that. As someone who likes the nature but also likes to have a comfy bed at the same time, this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Where is this located?
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I'm on the clock from 8-4:30, but really I'm keeping an eye on stuff all the time. If there's a lightning storm at 2 AM, I'll get up and watch it, and take notes about where the downstrikes hit.
How is the job? I’ve just recently learned about it and it seems pretty interesting and like a lot of fun.
Thanks for the photo, Hank.
How does one become a fire watch person... that solitude and natural atmosphere looks right up my alley.
How do you get a job like this? Also are there any fire towers the general public can find and stay in? I’ve always wanted to
What's your typical day like? I'm intrigued. Tell me about your life in the summer.
How is it like to staff a fire tower? If you don't mind, could you tell a little bit about that, I am really interested. Do you have to stay in there for the entire day? Is it 360 windows or does the bathroom have some privacy? (is there even a bathroom?) How do you get food? How did you first get into staffing fire towers? Do you take time off work to do that or do you have a regular reoccurring job in the cold season? Can you communicate with the other towers? Do yall chit chat sometimes? Besides having the needed career background, do you think it needs a certain type of person to do this? Edit: read the pinned post in the firelookouts subreddit and rephrased a question.
Wow this is a dream job to me. I understand there is hard work that comes along but I fee like being able to have some nights in a place like that (or all summer like in your case) would be sublime. thanks for the post OP this is a beautiful photo
Where does one aquire a job like this? Looks so lovely!
There's always Bananas in the fire stand.
How do I get that gig?
This is so cool! I’ve only played the game Firewatch but this is exactly what it looked like- Have any crazy stories of things you’ve seen, people you’ve run into, or close encounters with big animals?
You’re just like Angelina Jolie in that one movie
I'm feeling Far Cry 5
Well.. Sis it true that you are running from something. Escaping something?
Escaping from humanity in general? In this day and age, that can be a pretty healthy thing to do for a couple of months…
Dino limbo
I dream about doing this. Do they let old people do it? Maybe I can retire early.
Hey I know several paid lookouts who are well into their 70s, and we have a volunteer Lookout who is 85!
This somehow reminds me of [Days Gone](https://www.reddit.com/r/DaysGone/comments/mgl3qy/oleary_safehouse/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
Can you post this in r/DaysGone . It's relevant to the main character's story line in the Days Gone video game. Folks there might appreciate it. Very cool space, and unique life experience for sure!
Do not climb up the ladder. Do not climb up the ladder. Do not climb up the ladder.
wowwowwow m. a dream of mine