Group seek to identify, honor fire lookout crews

Idaho Fire Lookouts, an independent historical research project, is seeking help from the public to identify and document the men and women who staffed fire lookout towers across Idaho during the early and mid-20th century. 

Fire lookout towers once formed a critical early-warning network for wildfires across Idaho’s forests. While many towers still stand – and others have disappeared – the names, service years, and personal histories of the people who staffed them are often missing or incomplete. 

Idaho Fire Lookouts focuses on researching, documenting, and preserving the history of every fire lookout tower in the state, with particular attention to the individuals who spent long seasons alone or nearly alone scanning for smoke, recording weather observations, and quietly protecting Idaho’s forested landscapes. 

Recent fieldwork at the former Dominion Mountain Lookout in the St. Joe National Forest illustrates the project’s approach. While visiting the site, project partners Billy Cooter and Cat House discovered the inscription “C.E. Nelson 33” carved into the concrete footing of a long-removed tower. Archival research later connected the name to Charles Nelson, who was listed in a July 26, 1933, article in the Sanders County Independent-Ledger as having been assigned to Dominion Peak as a lookout and patrolman. 

Similar discoveries – and unanswered questions – are common. 

At the former Blacktail Mountain Lookout near Priest Lake, the name “Bill Stobie” is carved into a rock near the tower site, along with dates indicating a 1936 season of service. Despite extensive research through newspapers, historical records, and ancestry databases, Idaho Fire Lookouts has been unable to determine Stobie’s identity or background. 

“These are the kinds of gaps we’re trying to fill,” said House. “In many cases, the physical evidence is still there, but the human stories are fading.” 

Idaho Fire Lookouts is now asking for help from anyone who may have information to share, including former lookouts, family members, friends, or community members. Even small details such as a name, year of service, tower location, or a memory passed down through family can help fill important gaps in the historical record. 

The project is also seeking photographs of Idaho fire lookout towers, especially from their early years. Many sites have little or no photographic documentation, and images stored in personal photo albums, slide collections, or scrapbooks may never have been publicly shared. 

Anyone with information, memories, or photographs – or who knows someone who might – is encouraged to contact Idaho Fire Lookouts at [email protected] or visit idahofirelookouts.com. 

Idaho Fire Lookouts is an independent research and documentation project focused on the history of fire lookout towers across Idaho. The project combines field research, archival work, and public outreach to identify lookout sites and preserve the names, service records, and stories of the men and women who staffed them. 

For more information, go to idahofirelookouts.com.