The Fire Lookout Volunteer Program, one of the many volunteer programs of the Southern California Mountains Foundation (SCMF), is now recruiting volunteers to staff fire lookouts for the 2022 fire season. Fire Lookouts help protect the forest, local mountain communities, as well as communities along the forest boundary from the threat of fire. Fire Lookouts also act as docents to the public that visit the towers.

New Volunteer training begins on April 4th, 2022. Becoming a Fire Lookout is serious business and a rewarding way to give back to the community. Volunteers must attend four training classes: a two-hour Orientation class, a three-hour Natural History class, an all-day (seven-hour) Operations class, and at least one all-day In-Tower Training shift that puts you in the fire lookout with an experienced In-Tower Trainer. The in tower training shift is an operational shift, with the tower fully in service.

Becoming a Fire Lookout is an interesting, enjoyable, and rewarding undertaking. However, it is not a position to be taken lightly. A Fire Lookout must be professional, reliable, attentive, and most importantly, trustworthy as they may have a larger perspective of the fire environment, how incoming weather impacts it, and the safety of personnel in the field. Anyone age 18 or over can become a Fire Lookout Volunteer.

Dates and additional information are posted on the Southern California Mountains Foundation website; www.mountainsfoundation.org/fire-lookouts. Please contact the Fire Lookout Program Manager, Shane Harris, at (909) 761-5860 or e-mail at [email protected] so you can be registered for the training or to ask any questions.