The CDF Lookouts are not manned anymore but they were by CDF (California Department of Forestry) (Now often called CALFIRE also) still in the 1980s when I was a fire lookout two seasons 1985 and 1986. Now they use Satellites exclusively for this purpose which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't just like Autopilot sometimes worked on Tesla's around 2016.
So, I was at another Lookout in that range of Mountains basically so I listened to the lady who was a lookout there do her reporting of the weather and conditions regularly. So, I knew her voice when it came on the radio and I also broadcast things on the radio like Humidity and temperature there at my lookout as well.
But, one day there was a lightning storm and they give you a specially insulated platform to stand on in a lightning storm because otherwise you likely will die if a lightning bolt hits your mostly metal covered Lookout Tower. So, when I first saw the lightning striking I got onto my insulated platform to wait for the lightning to quit. There were literally hundreds of lightning strikes all around me but everything electrical still worked like my refrigerator and radio and electric AC outlets and stuff like this.
But, when we all reported on the radio after the lightning storm to make sure none of us died or was knocked unconscious the lady on Chalone peak didn't report. I immediately got scared for her. They finally sent a fire engine up because she hadn't reported and I never heard anything about her after that. So, I never was told whether she lived or died that day. But, they did report she had been struck by lightning when she wasn't on her elevated insulated platform at the top of the tower in the living quarters and where they radio and office equipment and fire sighting equipment was then.
So, it's important to either not be in a tall metal building on top of a mountain like all the Fire Lookouts are unless you are standing on something insulated unless you want to die soon (this true at least during a lightning storm with lightning striking all around you. However, I suppose if one strike hits the tower and none had before you might get cooked too. But, that is just one of the many many hazards of being a fire lookout. For example, in a real health emergency like the one I reported above you might die before anyone got to you because often the nearest human beings is somewhere at least 10 to 12 miles over dirt roads to even get to your lookout. also, I had to open and close at least 7 to 10 gates across Cattle Ranches too to get to and from this lookout as well up a winding steep dirt road to the lookout tower.
Though CDF lookouts I think aren't used anymore but I know that recently volunteers were working fire lookouts for the U.S. Forest service still. I just checked and that will be my next article.
The incident I'm reporting about here regarding a female Fire Lookout was either in 1985 or 1986 by the way. MY lookout was at 4000 feet elevation by the way.
begin quotes regarding Chalone Peak Lookout.
- Location: Pinnacles National Park, Monterey and San Benito Counties, California.
- Elevation: 3,304 feet (1,007 meters).
- Hike Distance: About 8 to 9 miles round trip.
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