MEMBERSHIP:
35 Current paid members (down 2 from 2004)

FINANCES:
Ending balance of $919.69 (up $30.34 from 2004)

Comments about membership: Brochures and newsletters are handed out to visitors at many of our lookouts, during special events and through various other opportunities. However, our membership continues to consist of current or past fire lookouts. In other words, we are not hitting "other interested parties." I would be curious to know how other chapters successfully increase their membership.

Discussion: We are continuing to concentrate on creating awareness of the FFLA and of lookout preservation through displaying of brochures at Forest Service district offices, various fire lookouts in our region and participating in special events in conjunction with the Buck Rock Foundation, including country fairs, Buck Rock Lookout Annual Open House, Celebrate Sequoia Festival, and Squaw Valley Rodeo. The FFLA website is promoted on several websites in our area including the BRF (www.buckrock.org), Sequoia Fire Lookouts (www.sequoialookouts.com), and the official website for the Sequoia National Forest (www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/lookouts/lookouts).

There is a growing trend to place cameras on lookout structures for fire and air quality monitoring by managing or partner agencies. I am concerned about the impact this may have on the historic integrity of these structures. Yet, in many cases, the only reason why a lookout may not have been dismantled is that the tower is being used for storing or hosting communications equipment. This is conundrum!

Restoration News: Several lookouts in the Central California Chapter received maintenance, health and safety updates and restoration work including the following:

o Bald Mountain - Storage shed was trimmed, painted, new roof installation, and anchoring of roof; 4 rustic benches added along the newly refurbished botanical trail leading to the tower; 2 new interpretive signs were designed and installed at the trailhead and two weather resistant displays with visitor information were placed below the lookout; outhouse exterior received a new paint job (a new outhouse is in the works for 2006).

o Breckenridge- Exterior cab and tower were abated for lead and repainted. Interior cab was abated for lead and repainted. Asbestos tile floor was removed and replaced with linoleum flooring.

o Buck Rock - Exterior lead paint was abated and the cab was repainted; asbestos tile floor was removed and replaced with an oak hardwood floor; two cameras were installed on the roof for monitoring air quality and smoke dispersal.

o Delilah - Exterior cab was abated for lead and repainted.

o Jordan Peak - Exterior lead paint on tower and cab was abated for lead and both were repainted. The asbestos tile floor was replaced with new linoleum. Several old batteries and communications equipment were removed from basement.

o Mule Peak - Exterior lead paint and cab were abated for lead and both were repainted. Interior lead paint was abated and repainted; wood stove pipe was replaced; asbestos tile floor was removed and replaced with new linoleum.

o Oak Flat - Continued window replacement with double pane windows; lead paint was abated from the exterior and interior of the cab and cab was repainted.

o Signal Peak - Vandals and a lot of bad weather annually cause damage but Signal was fortunate this year due to the fact that the winter didn't allow much time for vandalism. Most of the stringers that support the shutters were replaced due to dry rot and snow load damage. The doorframe and the supporting framing around the door had dry rotted to the point that the door wouldn't shut correctly. One of the window frames had likewise failed which resulted in a window and frame falling in one afternoon. Fortunately most of the repair work did not involve an expensive materials list. Using a little TLC and some elbow grease the tower was brought up to useable standard. Brushing on the grounds surrounding the tower was done as the tower was on the verge of being overgrown. So, for statistical purposes the materials for the repairs, having the gas company service all appliances, and having the outhouse pumped cost 1289.00. The tower was staffed for 115 days and had 18 first reports.

o Tobias - Lead paint was abated on both interior and exterior of cab and the cab was repainted; Asbestos floor was removed and replaced with new linoleum.

For more information regarding the status of all of the lookouts in this chapter, please see the attached reports below.

Kathy Ball
Director

A - Status of Lookouts In Central California 2005

FFLA Central California Chapter Area Covers the Territory South of I-80 and North of the Tehachapi Mountains, West to (but not including) the Los Padres National Forest.

ELDORADO NATIONAL FOREST

1.      Alder Ridge – 2004 restoration of lookout residence.  Future Recreation Rental Placerville RD

2.      Armstrong Hill– Abandoned.  Amador  RD

3.      Bald Mountain – Staffed  7 days GS employee Georgetown RD

4.      Baltic Peak – Abandoned.  Decommission granted through Forest Service channels.  Still being consider for removal to a local Fairgrounds Placerville RD

5.      Big Hill- Staffed 7 days GS employees Pacific RD

6.      Bunker Hill – Emergency Staffing  Pacific RD

7.      Leak Springs – Staffed 7 days a week.  Amador RD

8.   Lookout Mountain – Removed recently

9.   Robbs Peak – Recreation Rental Pacific RD

10.   Slate Mountain- Removed 2003  Georgetown RD

INYO NATIONAL FOREST

1.      Bald Mountain – Staffed 7 days:  5 with GS employee, 2 with volunteer

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST

1.   Baker Point – Abandoned – Talk of rehab.  Tule/Hot Springs RD

2.   Bald Mt – Staffed 7 days with 2 GS employees. Cannell Mdw RD

3.   Breckenridge – Staffed 7 days with 2 GS employees.  Greenhorn RD

4.   Buck Rock – Staffed 7 days:  5 days w/GS employee and 2 days with BRF volunteers.   Hume Lake RD    

5.   Delilah – Staffed for emergency purposes only.  Use BRF Volunteers.   Hume Lake RD

6.   Jordan Peak – Staffed 5 days with GS employee. Tule/Hot Springs RD

7.   Mule Peak – Staffed 5 days with GS employee paid by Tule Indian Reservation. Tule/Hot Springs RD          

8.   Oak Flat – Recreation Rental.  Greenhorn RD (Reservations: 760-379-5646 x-514)

9.   Tobias – Staffed 5 days with GS employee.  Tule/Hot Springs RD

10.  The Needles – Staffed 5 days with FS employee.  Tule/Hot Springs RD

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST

1.      Bald Mountain – Abandoned and vandalized.  No plan for rehab

2.      Fence Meadow – Staffed 5 days with GS employee

3.   Goat Mountain – Abandoned.  Talk of turning it into a Recreation Rental or Volunteer staffing program OR removing it.

4.   Miami Mountain – Staffed 7 days a week with Volunteers 

5.   Mt. Tom – Staffed 5 days with GS employee

6.   Musick Mtn – Emergency use only.  Heavily laden with communications equipment

7.   Shuteye – Staffed 7 days with GS employees

8.   Signal Peak – Staffed 7 days with GS employees.  Currently being restored by FS

STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST

1.      American Camp – Abandoned

2.      Duckwall – Staffed 7 days with GS employees  Miwok RD

3.      Mt Elizabeth – Staffed 7 days with GS employees. Miwok RD

4.   North Mountain – Abandoned.  Cabin and tower standing, not in use. Groveland RD

5.   Pilot Peak – Staffed 5 days a week with GS employee.  Groveland RD

6.  Smith Peak – Staffed 5 days GS employee. Groveland RD

7.  Trumbull – Abandoned.  Cabin and tower standing, not in use.  Groveland RD

8.  Woods Ridge – Abandoned.  Cabin and tower standing, not in use. Groveland RD

TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST

1.      Babbitt Peak – Staffed 7 days with GS employees.  Needs repair. Sierraville RD

2.      Calpine – Restoration completed.  Now available for Recreation Rental. Sierraville RD

3.      Duncan Peak – Staffed 7 days with GS employee

4.      Martis Peak – See CDF Truckee (Truckee RD)

5.      Grouse Ridge – Abandoned

6.      Sardine – Abandoned. In bad disrepair.  Sierraville RD

7.      Saddleback – Staffed 7 days with contract lookout.  Downieville RD

8.      Sierra Buttes – 2004 RAC Grant for Restoration.   Restoration in process

9.      Verdi – Abandoned.  Truckee RD

TOIYABE NATIONAL FOREST

1.      Leviathan – Not staffed, but still standing

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK

1.      Milk Ranch – Abandoned for fire detection 1996.  Utilized for communications links

KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK

1.   Park Ridge – Re-opened September 1 2004.  Staffed for fire detection utilizing Buck Rock Foundation volunteers as often as possible.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

1.  Crane Flat – Emergency use only.

2.  Henness Ridge – Abandoned.  External rehab has recently been done.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE

(Historically CDF has had as many as 77 lookouts located statewide.   Due to budget cuts and “people driving through with cell phones and hampered visibility due to air pollution” CDF has stopped staffing most of its lookouts in Central California.)

CDF Amador/El Dorado

1.   Mount Danaher – Targeted for preservation

2.   Mt. Zion – Staffed 7 days for fire detection

3.   Pilot Peak – Staffed 7 days for detection

4.   Pine Hill – Abandoned, Heavily vandalized

CDF – Fresno/Kings

(No active lookouts)

1.   Bear Mountain - Abandoned

2.      Black Mountain – Abandoned

3.      Cottonwood Pass - Abandoned

4.      Owens Mountain - Removed

CDF – Madera/Mariposa/Merced

(No active lookouts)

1.      Basalt Peak -

2.      Deadwood – Abandoned, still standing.  Talk of restoration for rental or detection

3.      Greenwood – Abandoned,

4.      Penon Blanco – Abandoned, still standing.  Used to house radio equipment

5.      Red Top – Dismantled

6.      Williams Peak – Abandoned

CDF – Nevada/Yuba/Placer

1.  Banner Lookout

2.  Mount Howell

3.  Oregon Peak

4.  Wolf Creek Mountain

CDF San Benito/Monterey

(No active lookouts)

1.      Call Mountain

2.      Calandra – Targeted for preservation

3.      Chalone Peak

4.      Sid Ormsbee – Targeted for preservation

5.      Smith Mountain

CDF Tahoe/Truckee

1.      Martis Peak – Owned by Tahoe National Forest, managed by CDF  7 day staffing, 5 with Paid employee (paid by North Star Community) and 2 with volunteers.

CDF – Tulare County

(No active lookouts)

1.      Blue Ridge – Abandoned, Still standing, in disrepair.

2.      Shadequarter – Abandoned, Still standing in good repair

CDF - Tuolumne/Calavaras

1.      Blue Mountain – Staffed 7 days for fire detection.  Calavaras County

2.      Fowler – Abandoned.  Tower is still standing, not in use.  Targeted for preservation.

3.      Rushing (Big Hill) – Abandoned

4.      Sierra Vista (Quiggs Mountain) – Abandoned

5.      Valley Springs - Removed

TAHOE BASIN MANAGEMENT UNIT

1.  Angora Ridge – Abandoned

2.  Stateline – Recently torn down

B - Status of Lookouts In Nevada 2005

Notes: 5 total lookouts, 3 still standing, and 2 still actively staffed.


ELLA MT. LO - BLM, Ely, NV District - built 1964 - 2 story -Built 1964; T 6S R 67 E Sec 2; still actively staffed

MCCLELLAN PEAK LO - Built early 1930s by USFS, transferred to BLM in 1963, last staffed 1970, destroyed 1971.

PEAVINE PEAK LO - Built originally by Tahoe NF, later staffed by Nevada Division Of Forestry for a while, then abandoned in 1964 - was still standing in 1972 - likely gone by now, but unable to confirm this for certain - it's remotely possible that the old LO still remains and is used to house electronic equipment.

YELLOW PEAK LO - BLM, Susanville, CA District, Washoe County NV - T45S R 21E Sec 9; Built in 1981, 9x9; still actively staffed

ZEPHYR POINT LO - Built 1931 by Eldorado NF, later transferred to Toiyabe NF, later loaned to Nevada Division of Forestry then returned to Toiyabe NF, then later transferred to Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit - now unused for fire, but still standing.