Malheur National Forest staffs fire lookouts
By Mindy Gould on Tuesday, August 15th, 2023 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
John Day, Prairie City and Hines-Malheur National Forest staffs seven lookout towers across the Blue Mountain, Emigrant Creek, and Prairie City Ranger Districts. These lookouts are staffed throughout the summer months and provide critical information on weather observation, visibility, and smoke report locations to local dispatch centers. During high fire activity these lookouts relay time critical information that helps aid in early detection and response from fire resources.
Staffed lookouts on the Blue Mountain Ranger District are Dixie, Dry Soda, Flagtail, and Indian Rock. Emigrant Creek Ranger District staffs Calamity and Snow Mountain, and Prairie City Ranger District staffs Antelope Lookout. Also located on the Malheur National Forest, Aldrich Lookout. This lookout is an Oregon Department of Forestry lookout, manned by the Bureau of Land Management. Each lookout is unique in structure and location. Some lookouts have buck and pole fencing around then to guide visitors towards the trail entrance to protect sensitive habitats. Visitors are asked not to camp within these fenced areas to protect these habitats and to provide privacy for lookout and the employees that stay in them after hours.
Public parking is available at all the lookouts and visitors are welcome to visit during daylight hours. The forest request that visitors respect the employees staffing the lookouts after hours and during periods of high fire activity.
Nestled in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon, the Malheur National Forest encompasses 1.7 million acres of diverse landscapes. For additional information about the Malheur National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/malheur.
