Ever wanted to go to work in a 90-foot tower deep in the wilderness?

The Oregon Department of Forestry is offering that chance.

The state agency posted openings for four seasonal forest lookouts to work this summer in central, eastern and southern Oregon.

It’s a job with unique requirements, including the ability to work in remote and very high locations, spot wildfire smoke, read maps and experience long periods of quiet.

“Be ready for solitude,” said Bobbi Doan, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Forestry. “Many folks these days are not accustomed to hours or days alone.”

The jobs also are remote.

The four lookouts with openings include Henkle Butte near Sisters, Ritter Butte near John Day, Tamarack Lookout near Heppner and Parker Mountain near Klamath Falls.

ODF is currently taking applications for each.

"We hire all types," Doan said.

Fire lookouts were once a common summer job in the American West. In the 1930s and '40s, there were around 800 active fire lookouts statewide, said Cheryl Hill, author of "Fire Lookouts of Oregon."

The rise of airplanes and helicopters to spot fires, followed by remote cameras, gradually eliminated the need for so many lookouts, Hill said. Today, around 100 staffed lookouts remain in Oregon, mostly on federal lands.

ODF, a state agency, manages around 25 lookouts.

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The jobs offered this summer pay $2,509 to $3,180 per month and include medical, dental and vision insurance. The season normally lasts from June through September, although that can change based on the conditions.

Not just keeping an eye out for smoke

The job is unique to say the least.

The person who wins the job at Tamarack Lookout, for example, will work in a tower 90 feet tall with no electricity and an outhouse at the bottom of a very long set of stairs.

A typical workday is five days per week, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with two days off. Two people staff some of the lookouts to ensure there are always eyes on the forest.

Tara Bandor, who hires the Henkle Butte lookouts for ODF, said she got about 100 applications last year and heard from people across the spectrum.

“I heard from a handful of college students, a lot of retirees, and a lot of people who just liked the idea of camping out in a tower all summer,” she said. “It’s a very romanticized job. I think people really like the idea of being part of that great history.”

The job isn’t just about keeping an eye out for smoke on the horizon.

A job description notes that lookouts must use an Osborne fire finder and maps to plot location and distance of any smoke they see, take weather readings, monitor two-way radio communications, and, in some cases, fight fire.

Related:At Coffin Mountain Lookout, Ann Amundsen spends 29th year watching for wildfire

One of the requested skills is to “perform wildland firefighting tasks,” the job descriptions say.

Lookouts are "occasionally required to work under adverse weather conditions with occasional exposure to heavy equipment operations, aircraft, hazards of burning and/or falling material, and chemical and biological pesticides,” a job description said.

Not that you have to be hard-core to score the job, Bandor said.

“I’d say having a firefighting background helps, but it’s not required,” she said. “It helps to have that ability to pinpoint a smoke, but, again, it’s not an absolute.”

Of course, there is on part of the job that is an absolute, and that’s the ability to go long periods without seeing another person.

“The person who staffs the lookout will work by themselves with very little direct contact,” the job description says.

See the full job descriptions online at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/oregon/jobs:

Henkle Butte near Sisters

Ritter Butte near John Day

Tamarack Lookout near Heppner

Parker Mountain near Klamath Falls.

More:

From job descriptions:

Duties include but are not limited to:

Forest Lookouts use binoculars and visual observation to constantly observe the surrounding area for signs of wildfire.

Determine azimuth and distance with Osborne fire finder and maps to plot location to nearest ¼ section.

Report locations and characteristics to dispatch.

Use portable and mobile radios.

Monitor two way radio communications.

Record information in radio log, monitor lightning storms, reporting direction and distance of thunder cells.

Record downstrikes for follow-up detection and possible action.

Collect and report daily weather observations including: temperature, relative humidity, storm activity, state of the weather, and precipitation to dispatch office.

Coordinate fire detection with other lookouts, aircraft, and other personnel.

Act as communication relay where radio transmissions are difficult, between field personnel and dispatch.

Provide updates on smoke characteristics to fire managers.

Report suspicious activity related to fire.

Complete building safety checklist and submits to supervisor.

Report all safety hazards, damage, and unsafe conditions to supervisor.

Report suspected violations of fire prevention restrictions.

Complete daily maintenance and housekeeping of lookout facility to maintain a positive public image.

Requested skills

Preference may be given to candidates whose application demonstrate skills, abilities and/or experience in the following:

· Perform wildland firefighting tasks.

· Spot forest fires for a natural resources company or agency.

· Provide information to members of the public, supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, radio, in written form or in person.

· Analyze information and evaluate results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

· Observe, receive, and otherwise obtain information from all relevant sources.

· Monitor and review information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

· Read and interpret maps.

· Maintain adequate level of fitness to perform assigned duties.

· Work with little supervision and personal contact.

· Work in high and semi-confined spaces.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 11 years. He is the author of the book “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.