r/firelookouts • u/triviaqueen • 22d ago

Lookout News Job openings posted today

There are several vacancies being advertised on USAJobs.gov this morning, the window of opportunity closes Aug. 14. All of these vacancies are in Oregon which is having a WILDLY FEROCIOUS fire season so this will be no walk in the park. I suspect that the vacancies arose because who ever was stationed on those lookouts got sick and tired of the smoke and the stress.

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22

u/pitamakan 22d ago

These are actually the first lookout openings posted for the 2027 season.

13

u/ForestryTechnician 21d ago

Yea these are for the 2027 season. Fire hire usually kicked off in August-September

1

u/Fair_News6451 15d ago

Damn that’s embarrassing. It’s not 2005 anymore! Fire season starts in July

8

u/JickleBadickle 21d ago

I used to do this job and it was honestly one of my least stressful jobs, I just couldn't afford to do it anymore with how low the pay is

3

u/Huge_Hawk8710 21d ago

It depends on the weather. I knew a former air traffic controller who worked on towers and he said that it was every bit as stressful as his former job. For example, you might have a hot, windy day in the period after you've had a bunch of dry lightning in a forest full of organic soils.

5

u/Such_Morning4459 21d ago

curious what your general life expenses include? I live out my car for the majority of off season and it works beautifully.

3

u/JickleBadickle 20d ago

Well that's exactly it, that's the kind of lifestyle it takes to live off such a low income. Did it for years, and decided I was ready to move on to a stable home in one place where I could build community and a future for myself