camping in a wildfire lookout tower. The big picture: The U.S. Forest Service rents dozens of its old, remote fire lookouts now that infrared tools and aircraft have replaced human eyes in most areas.

After Bolan Mountain Lookout burned down, the U.S. Forest Service formed an alliance with a trails group to rebuild a popular Oregon lookout rental.

We’re often asked why we staff a fire lookout. Our reasons aren ... manmade distractions disappear. Our tower has been visited by horned lizards, elk, mountain lions and a mama bear with ...

but one woman spends every summer hiking up to the top of a mountain where she stays alone with her for for four or five months in an isolated lookout tower with no electricity or running water ...