Fire Tower Lookouts: Guardians of Montana’s Wilderness [Video]

AUGUSTA — Montana, renowned for its expansive wilderness, majestic mountain ranges, and abundant wildlife, is vigilantly watched over by a unique group of individuals: fire tower lookouts.

These dedicated professionals play a crucial role in maintaining the safety and preservation of the state’s natural beauty.

Fire Tower Lookouts: Guardians of Montana’s Wilderness

In this “Odd Jobs” segment, we meet Samsara (Sam) Duffey, a seasoned fire tower lookout who has devoted more than 28 years to this vital work.

A Day in the Life of a Fire Tower Lookout

Sam, who works for the Forest Service, shared insights into her fascinating yet challenging job. “I like sharing this kind of life with people because it’s not a common position,” She explained. “One of the things I absolutely love about our lookouts is we are wilderness lookouts, which means we have to hike in or get a pack string in. So it takes a little bit of a different …