Also called: Lookout Tower Observer
Lives in a mountaintop tower all summer, watching for smoke and reporting new fires.
Fire lookouts spend months alone in a small glass cabin on a peak, scanning the horizon with binoculars and a special map tool called an Osborne Firefinder. When they spot smoke, they radio its exact location. Cameras have replaced many, but hundreds of towers are still staffed.
Seasonal hourly pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. No degree; training provided by the agency.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Shrinking. Cameras and satellites are replacing many towers.
High risk for 10 years. AI smoke-detection cameras on peaks now spot fires 24/7; only a few staffed lookouts remain.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply for seasonal fire lookout jobs on USAJOBS or state forestry sites in winter First: Seasonal government hiring: apply in winter for summer, plus a short training
Classes: Earth science, Geography / map reading.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-2022.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.