A small disclaimer. Normally I only post the Christian books that I have read on this site, but this particular book I found very fascinating. So, I thought I would share the review with you all.
When I got this book I was thinking it would be interesting to hear the exploits of a man who spends half of his life in isolation sitting in a "lookout" tower in the middle of the forest keeping an eye out for fires. In the past I have hiked passed a couple of towers and met those who man them and thought they had the coolest job in the world. But just a few days in the wilderness leaves me wanting civilization. So, how do these men and women handle the isolation? That's what I wanted to learn.
Well, I got more than I bargained for. The book doesn't just talk about the job of being a fire lookout but Philip does a wonderful job of giving you the history of the forestry service, the history of lookouts and the history of how the government has grown over the years in their view of how to manage wildfires and why nature uses fire to 'restore' the forest to it's unique beauty.
Philip and his dog (Alice) take their five mile hike into their station and go to work. With that comes the chore of cleaning the two room cabin and evicting the many creatures that have taken up habitation over the winter (some wonderful citizen came along after fire season last year and broke into the place and left it open to the elements). They also have to care for themselves. Being 9,000 feet in altitude means the nights are very cold at the beginning of the season. The fire needs to be stoked and water needs to be treated and oh, there is snow to be dealt with.
The hours of solitude can be demanding on the psyche. Some people survive and some don't. Philip shares that he spends ten days on station and then a relief comes and he has four days in town, then back to the station. But his first relief this year proves to be not up to snuff. When Philip returns the young 18 year old is packed and ready to leave and Philip asks if he will see him again in ten days. The answer was not encouraging. So, instead of getting relief in ten days no one comes and Philip has to wait for his boss to find another employee to act as relief.
But that doesn't really bother Philip as he and Alice learn to live and adapt to their surroundings. On their off time they take hikes to trout filled streams, the peaks of surrounding mountains and sometimes to just about the furthest away spot they can get from civilization.
But the job is not without some visitors. Thru hikers (those walking the continental divide (a 3,000 mile hike) come through every so often. They need to walk 20 miles a day so they don't often stay for more than an hour, but it is enough time for Philip and Alice to get their fill of human companionship. There is also always the radio. Checking in each day keeps them in touch with their boss. Also when they call in a fire they have lots of interaction with other lookouts and the fire crews.
But apart from the stories of how they spend their day I was most intrigued by the lessons learned both by the lookout and the forestry service. Some fires need to be left to burn, that way the undergrowth is thinned out, old dead trees are burned and new trees are able to get the sun they need to flourish and thrive. Also the grass grows back thicker and greener when it is thinned out by fire every now and then.
Then there are the stories of the wildlife, the hunted wolf that has been decimated and that allowed the deer population to grow to large and cause massive problems. So, the government reintroduced the wolf to the area (after trying so hard to eradicate it). Now the ecosystem is getting a bit back in balance.
I was very pleased with the details in the book and the mix of personal and history, the mix of the present and the past, the mix of man's interaction with nature and natures response. I enjoyed every minute of the book. I think that Philip does a great job of holding your interest while also educating you about the work of lookouts and the forestry service.
Enjoy!
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