I just re-hired for the 2010 USFS fire season in the Deschutes NF!

[DemoTex]

The lookouts will open on May 23 and close on October 9 (another LONG season!). I'm buying a new Tundra and getting a mini-Airstream trailer for the gig. Looks like I have my decade lined up with the USFS. I love it!

Several DUers asked about lookout gigs last summer. I'll post what I know here. But Google like crazy the next few weeks (forest fire lookout jobs, BLM, USFS).

This I know: Twin Peak in the Salmon-Challis NF in Idaho is open. It is a real sleeper for someone writing a dissertation, etc. The entire district only had about 100 fires last year. We had about 1000 in the Deschutes. PM me for the ranger contact for the Twin Peak Lookout job.

Ranger Gord (Mac)

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. 1st in! congrats

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Good for you!

I am looking forward to your postings from there...

And your beautiful pictures too!

:woohoo:

[XemaSab]

3. What are the wages?

:shrug:

[DemoTex]

8. Almost volunteer ..

GS-4

[XemaSab]

15. For how many hours a week?

:shrug:

[DemoTex]

21. As many as it takes ..

The overtime begins in earnest in late June. By late July it could be a dawn to late-dark job. However, there must be an off-budget charge for any overtime: lightning, fires, extreme conditions, etc. But the overtime comes, and it comes like water from a 4-inch fire hose. Not that you will get rich on it. But it helps tide you over the layoff at the end of fire season.

[SidDithers]

4. Congratulations, Mac!...

I look forward to another summer of dispatches.

Sid

[Greybnk48]

5. Great! I look forward to you pics!

[HuckleB]

6. Congrats!

I'm glad you get to do something you enjoy!

I'll be backpacking out there, as always, so... THANKS!

:toast:

[spanone]

7. it's great work you do.

:patriot:

[niyad]

9. congrats

[RushIsRot]

10. Fantastic! I anxiously await another season of great reports and

photographs.

I sense a book in the making.

[DemoTex]

13. I'm taking digital photo and Photoshop classes now .. in ATL

I'll buy a Canon professional video camera and take 1-on-1 instruction in March. My dad's next door neighboor is a well-established film maker. I'm working with him on a few ideas for a documentary from the lookout.

[tabatha]

11. Congratulations and good for you!

[lunatica]

12. Congratulations!

I remember you were worried you would have too much time on your hands and now you can't wait to go back. I love it!

[DemoTex]

14. BTW: Check out these 3 videos on YouTube (especially #2)

Rate them up and comment if you like them.

1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HfAYVnAHew

2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXY2na0RyN0

3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KCW8NUL-sA

[Born_A_Truman]

16. Your fan club awaits!

Loved going along via your journal last year and looking forward to this year. Nick Nick will love the airstream!

[Wilms]

17. Nice! Just remember to remove the lense covers. OK?

:rofl:

[dhpgetsit]

18. I look forward to more news from the tower!

Congratulations!

[roguevalley]

19. how lucky you are. that is god's country. SIGH! I AM HOMESICK!

[Luciferous]

20. Congrats!

[Parker CA]

22. Nice! Looking forward to reading the reports and seeing all of your pictures, Demo Tex! Congrats!!

[DemoTex]

23. I'll have a blog site this fire season.

I took up way too much DU bandwidth last fire season. My I/T guru is working on it.

[quabbin]

24. Dispatches from Deschutes

Thanks for the beautiful photos and your chronicle of life in the fire tower. I look forward to reading about your experiences this coming season from Deschutes. The photos are stunning. You have given me a birdseye view of a beautiful part of this land that I'll probably never see in person. Please continue to share the experience with us.

[Canuckistanian]

25. Glad to hear you're "re-upping"!

I thoroughly enjoyed your reports from last year.