The nearly 100-year-old Keller Peak fire lookout tower in Southern California was destroyed last week during the Line Fire. This tower was one of the few remaining fire towers in the country, managed by the Southern California Mountains Foundation for the San Bernadino National Forest for 30 years. The tower, built in 1926, was a rare example of a tower constructed in California before the Great Depression. Plans were being made to celebrate its 100th anniversary in the next few years, which will now not happen.
Despite advancements in technology, fire lookout towers still play a crucial role in fire management, according to Shane Harris, Fire Lookout Manager. Harris believes that a trained human with binoculars still provides a unique advantage when it comes to spotting fires. The decision to rebuild the Keller Peak tower lies with the U.S. Forest Service.
Meanwhile, the Line Fire, which has burned for nearly two weeks, is currently 50% contained and has charred over 39,000 acres in the mountains east of San Bernardino. Justin Wayne Halstenberg, 34, pleaded not guilty to 11 arson charges related to the fire. The Forest Service and the foundation have not yet commented on the destruction of the tower.
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