The Past, Present, and Future of the Methow Valley's Fire Lookouts

When: Tuesday, February 6 at 7pm Where: Winthrop Barn

Join us on the First Tuesday in February to learn about the past, present, and future of the Methow Valley’s historic fire lookouts with local expert Christine Estrada!

Fire lookouts became a familiar icon across the American West in the early 1900s. After the 1950s, many fire lookouts were abandoned or destroyed. Of the roughly 750 that were built here in Washington, just over 90 remain standing in their original locations. Okanogan County is home to the largest number of still-standing fire lookouts in the state and eight of those lookouts are here in the Methow Valley Ranger District, some the last of their kind. Christine will talk about the history of our local lookouts, her experience staffing the Goat Peak fire lookout, the relevancy of lookouts today, and finally, how you can help preserve and maintain these structures.

Christine Estrada lives in Twisp, founded the Methow Valley Forest Fire Lookout Association in 2023, and has spent her last three summers staffing the Goat Peak fire lookout in Mazama. She spent two years visiting and photographing Washington State’s last standing fire lookouts with the goal of inspiring others to help maintain them and preserve our historical heritage.