Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 3 6 W HAT IS IT LIKE TO BE STANDING ON TOP OF THE WORLD? The answer lies around eight thousand feet above sea level on a mountain summit, with nothing but a bird's eye view of the expansive nat- ural world around you. A number of specially selected mountain summits across the West are home to large wooden buildings called fire lookouts. They were built to spot wildfires from 20 miles away, guaranteeing the best views around. The emotional connection you feel to the backcountry is am- plified as you peer out into 360 degrees of space and take in the wonderful views from these lookouts. Fire lookouts have been a critical component in spotting, monitoring, and studying wildfires throughout the Western part of the continent since the early 1900s. Their construction commenced throughout the Western United States during the 1910s in response to ravenous fires that scorched roughly 300 million American acres. Glacier National Park, established in 1910, became a leader in fire management among national parks, employing the first professional fire crew and fire experts working to identify, study, and report wildfires, often spotted from the lookouts. Following the creation of a strong fire management plan established by the National Forest Service, Glacier Park has been at the forefront of fighting forest fires, setting the standard for national parks across the U.S. The lookouts played a critical part in maintaining and monitoring wild- fires in the area while keeping visitors safe. Most of the lookouts in Mon- tana are unmanned today, and many can be reached by hiking to them. MONTANA'S FIRE LOOKOUTS MONTANA'S FIRE LOOKOUTS ABOVE IT ALL ABOVE IT ALL article and photos by SETH ANDERSON Views from Montana's Lookout towers are some of the best around, with visibility up to 20 miles!

• Cover