Los Pinos Lookout Tower

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Los Pinos Lookout Tower

Lookout towers are a part of the US Forest Service's rich wildland firefighting history.  Once the primary means of discovering and reporting wildfires, there are now only a few operational towers left in existence.  One such tower is the Los Pinos Lookout Tower, located in San Diego County, ten miles from the Mexican boarder.

The Duties of a Lookout

Built in 1964, the tower, which sits at an elevation of 4805 feet, is manned by "Chuck" Norman Mitchell, who has held this post for over a decade.  Although the tower is open to visitors from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Norman wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and works until 6:00 p.m.  His amenities include a futon, microwave, mini-refrigerator and a coffee maker.

Mitchell's primary duty is to constantly scan the horizon for any signs of smoke.  His job is to be the first to report smoke to the 911 Dispatch Center, and he also confirms or denies any reports of smoke that the dispatch center gets from callers.

If smoke is present, Mitchell uses the tower's Osborne Fire Finder map.  Built in 1925 along with original Los Pinos Lookout Tower, this map gives Mitchell a detailed look at the area within a 40 mile radius of the tower, allowing him to pinpoint the exact location of a fire, which he then reports back to the dispatchers.

Because of the tower's proximity to Mexico, it is crucial that Mitchell be able to determine which side of the boarder a fire is on.  If the smoke is on the Mexican side of the boarder, dispatchers will not send crews to fight the fire.

Because the tower is located in a recreation area, it is also part of Mitchell's job to render first aid and mechanical aid to visitors in distress.

When asked why he enjoys doing his job, Mitchell explains, "It's a freedom of being out in the environment, and I guess being the last of doing something that's really old.  It's ancient.  I just feel really privileged."

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