NJ continues to man all 21 state owned towers, with full time and part time fire observers. These towers have been very active in detecting wildfires and saving houses from the same. The towers are also used as dispatch centers for the forest fire service as well as communications and lookouts for the wardens on the fires. The firetowers continue to detect over half the wildfires that are reported in NJ.

Many visitors go to the towers each year, especially the 2 towers located on the Appalachian Trail. Catfish firetower had over 1000 visitors last year. It is a 1 1/2 mile hike from pavement and many of the visitors are hiking to whole trail from Georgia to Maine. Visitors are from all over the country and world.

The NJ Chapter will also host the 2006 Eastern Summer Conference. Details will be posted when available.

Bob Wolff, NJ Chapter Director