The Needles Lookout of Sequoia National Forest was lost in a self contained structure fire on July 28, 2011. Below you will find published documents and media releases related to the destructive fire and subsequently the rebuilding of this infamous lookout.
Documents and media releases are listed newest to oldest, starting at the top. Proper credit is attibuted at each document or media release.
Needles Lookout Replacement Scoping letter from USFS, 12/09/2011
February 2014 Article from Porterville Recorder: .pdf
Needles Update December 2012
The Forest Service hired a
HAZ-MAT team to remove hazardous materials remaining at the Needles
site from the 2011 fire. The clean-up was completed in October 2012.
Forest Service zone archaeologist and Needles Rebuild project lead
Linn Gassaway submitted a proposal to the Kern and Tulare Counties
Resource Advisory Committee for funding to jump-start the Needles
rebuilding project. The project was awarded a portion of the requested
funding, which will be used as seed money and to leverage donations
and matching funds from outside sources.
----------
From Kevin Elliott, Forest Supervisor 5/11/12:
Needles Closure
Update
Please download /
view this .pdf to view closure information.
----------
From Linn Gassaway,
Archaeologist, Sequoia National Forest, 2/8/2012:
Needles
Update
The Sequoia National Forest (SQF) has committed to
beginning the process to rebuild the Needles Lookout and its tower.
Through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) the Forest is
determining if there are any "significant issues" for natural and
cultural resources, and/or social concerns that may need to be address
prior to or during reconstruction. We are also beginning to follow up
on the outpouring of public interest and offers to help rebuild the
lookout, so we can determine how best to plan and organize the
rebuild. Through coordination and cooperation with the Buck Rock
Foundation, Sierra Club, and Giant Sequoia Monument Association over
the next few months we hope to have in place conduits for accepting
donations of money, expertise, and determining how to integrate
volunteer labor.
Over the next six months we hope to begin
developing blue prints, materials lists, equipment, and labor needs,
and a signed NEPA decision.
Unfortunately, SQF was unable to
contract out the hazardous waste cleanup of the site prior to the most
recent storm and is planning on conducting the cleanup in the spring
after the snow melts.
How YOU can help now:
We are
currently seeking any information on the history of the Needles. Do
you have a photos or stories of Needles you would be willing to share?
Of special interest would be photos or documentation of the
construction of the lookout and blue-prints, plans or drawings of the
original cab and tower. Please forward any such information to the
Buck Rock Foundation, P.O. Box 540, Squaw Valley, CA 93675 or email:
buckrock@inreach.com
Linn Gassaway
Zone Archaeologist
Giant Sequoia National Monument
Hume Lake and Western Divide Ranger
Districts
Sequoia National Forest
Phone: 559-338-2251 ext.
396
----------
From Kathy Allison of the Buck Rock
Foundation, 11/12/2011:
"On October 31, 2011, Buck Rock
Foundation directors Brent Iden and Kathy Allison met with Forest
Service personnel at the Western Divide Ranger District office in
Springville to discuss the rebuilding of The Needles Lookout. District
Ranger Priscilla Summers expressed her desire to go forward with the
process to rebuild the lookout and agreed that the next step is to
hold a public meeting to "brainstorm" ideas of how best to accomplish
that goal. We are hoping that meeting takes place before the end of
the year. We will update our website as soon as the meeting date, time
and location are announced."
----------
An open letter
from Patrick Paul, 10/13/2011:
This is a letter I am sending to
the Forest Supervisor, the Ranger, and my federal and state
representatives.
I have commitments by Tulare County Supervisor
Mike Ennis, The Buck Rock Foundation, The Southern California
Mountaineer’s Association, Torey and Jason Ivanic (The Southern Sierra
Climbers’ Association), E.C. Joe (Guidebook Author), Kris Solem
(Guidebook Author) and Bill Roberts of Roberts Engineering in
Porterville, CA, and Robert Krase (Attorney)
Please feel free
to use this letter in any way you deem fit or necessary to promote the
rebuilding of the fire lookout at The Needles.
To whom it may
concern,
For over 100 years fire lookouts have been a mainstay
in fire suppression and forest management in the United States.
Strategically placed fire lookouts and the people who work in them
have performed the crucial service of early fire detection, operated
as vital communications liaisons, and in many cases tourist
information centers, and tourist destinations. Some fire lookout
personnel, such as those dedicated people who have worked at The
Needles and Buck Rock lookouts, have even served uniquely as
invaluable USDA Forest Service ambassadors and spokespersons.
The Needles fire lookout, for almost three-quarters of a century, has
been one of the premier representatives of all that is positive and
good about public land management. Since 1937, The Needles fire cab
has served the public interest, helped to suppress catastrophic fires,
been a vital communications link for foresters, been a spectacular
tourist destination for multiple generations, and been a big part and
participant in the natural and climbing history of the Southern
Sierra.
The history of The Needles fire lookout is well known
among members of the Forest Service. It would be rare to find a
forester in Southern and Central California who hasn’t been to The
Needles, or heard of it. Its primary function as a fire lookout is
obvious and it served diligently in that capacity for 74 years. During
its tenure as one of the most uniquely placed fire lookouts it also
became a valuable communications link for forest personnel, fire
suppression units, and even, at times, emergency response units, and
law enforcement. The location of The Needles fire cab, placed high on
one of the most spectacular rock formations in America, set it apart
as a must see, must visit, must experience piece of public
architecture and history.
The Needles fire cab was not just a
fire lookout. And it was more than a popular tourist destination. For
more than a few generations of outdoor enthusiasts the two and
one-half mile scenic hike was a legacy experience. Many generations of
children had their first outdoor experience hiking out to visit “that
little gray castle in the sky.” Many older people today had a
formative experience trailing behind their parents immersed,
wide-eyed, in the wonder of that magical place, climbing the stairs,
stepping on to the catwalk atop the highest point of The Needles rock
formation, and taking in the astounding view that might otherwise only
be had by raptors, ringtail cats, and few daredevil rock climbers.
Making a yearly pilgrimage to The Needles has become a tradition for
many. Like John Muir, wishing to pass the experience on to future
generations, many lovers of the breath-taking beauty of the outdoors
brought their children and grandchildren to The Needles
year-after-year. It would be difficult to match such a formative
experience. So many times have people made the journey to The Needles,
spirits elevated and soaring like the Peregrine Falcons that dive and
lord over the rocks, and souls embraced by this unique experience
unlike any other.
Many of the old lookouts have been abandoned
or replaced by technology that can do as good a job at fire detection
as any human being. Many of the old lookouts have been perched on
high, obscure, and mundane overlooks that, although functional in
their day, were not spectacular or breathtaking to those who seldom
visited them. Very few fire lookouts have been worthy of the word of
mouth reputation, magazine articles, newspaper articles, or the
television coverage The Needles has garnered over the decades. The
Needles has captured the attention of many and fueled the imaginations
of all who have been there, seen it, or read about it.
The
Needles has served the people of the United States well over its 74
year history. An antenna and web-cam could do a good enough job of
detecting fires. But an antenna and a web-cam could never do the
ambassadorship, the public relations, the character building, the
history talk, or the awakening of the love of the outdoors that the
old Needles fire lookout has done with a pleasant representative there
each summer day to tell stories, show people what is out there, and
help them reflect on the awesome majesty within their view. The
Needles has provided more than anyone expected. The tax payers who
paid for it generations ago had no idea that they were creating a
living museum, a goodwill ambassador’s post, a comfort station, a
nature preserve, a climber’s Mecca, and a shrine to the workers of the
CCC and WPA of the Great Depression. The Needles was, and still could
be, a great taxpayer investment. The Needles must be restored for
those who have come to love it, for those want to see their tax
dollars spent on meaningful endeavors that reinforce and support real
American values, and for future generations of people who deserve to
share in the unique experience that previous generations were so lucky
to have.
Please rebuild The Needles fire lookout. Use the
resources you have, the resources that are being offered to you, and
the resources that will be mustered if you commit to this project. I
urge you to make a public announcement and file a press release
stating that the Forest Service will rebuild the fire lookout at The
Needles.
Sincerely,
Patrick Paul
Former Southern
Sierra Climbers’ Association President
Rock Climber
Outdoor
Enthusiast and Lover of Nature and The Needles Experience
----------
From Denise Alonzo, Public Affairs
Update
8/26/2011:
FUTURE OF NEEDLES FIRE LOOKOUT PENDING
SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST The Needles Fire Lookout Tower, located in the
Western Divide Ranger District within Giant Sequoia National Monument,
Sequoia National Forest was destroyed in a structure fire on July 28,
2011. No one was injured in this tragic event. The fire in the tower
and multiple debris-caused fires on the ground have been suppressed by
firefighters. Now, the question on everybody’s mind is whether the
Forest Service will rebuild the tower or not, and if yes, what will it
take? “I have been contacted by quite a few people who have voiced
their interest and support in seeing the tower rebuilt,” stated
Priscilla Summers, Western Divide District Ranger.
“The first
priority is to remove the charred debris from the top of the rock”
stated Summers. Some of the materials in or under the tower that
burned were batteries and propane tanks that charged radios and other
communication devices in the tower. These items, some of which are
considered hazardous material, need to be removed in a safe manner and
could take until the end of September to complete.
Forest
Officials will continue to keep the area adjacent to the rock
formation where the tower was perched closed for public safety until
the charred debris can be safely removed and hauled away. The closure
area is within one-quarter mile circle of where the tower once sat,
including the formation popular for rock climbers known as “The
Magician.” The Needles Road 21S05 and trail 32E22 that leads to the
site has been re-opened for hikers and rock climbers to access the
area outside this closure.
There are many steps to consider and
complete should the Forest Service propose to construct a new tower.
An assessment of the rock and foundation where the tower once sat
would be necessary to determine its integrity to support a new
structure. New building requirements would need to be researched and
considered in any design. An environmental analysis and documentation
with public review would be required. Funding for a replacement tower
and the planning efforts it would require to complete will be
considered. “All of this cannot be completed quickly,” stated Summers.
The lookout tower was constructed in 1937-38 by the Civilian
Conservation Corps atop the rock formation at 8,245 feet. A Forest
Service employee, stationed in the tower, was responsible for
detecting fires and relaying radio messages to a dispatcher, who in
turn sent firefighters and support equipment to extinguish the
reported fire. The employee who worked in the Needles tower has been
reassigned to another lookout tower on the District.
Needles
overlooked the Kern River Drainage, Mt. Whitney, Olancha Peak,
Farewell Gap, and Dome Rock. The tower was the primary communication
line for persons in the backcountry where cell phones do not work. The
Needles Lookout Tower was one of the most popular places to visit on
the Western Divide Ranger District.
“The loss of this historic
landmark and the communication it provided to backcountry travelers is
significant,” stated Summers. “I ask for everyone’s patience and
understanding as we move through the steps required to consider a
rebuild of the tower. Similar to other projects proposed on the
National Forest, whatever action we take at the site will have to go
through an extensive evaluation process under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA.) Even though it (the tower) was there
historically, it does not exempt us from having to conduct analysis
and public involvement for any proposed actions at the site.”
----------
From our Executive Director Kathy Allison
Update 8/24/2011:
The current priority for the Forest
Service is the clean-up and safe removal of what remains of the fire
lookout. Zone Archaeologist Linn Gassaway hiked out to the rock the
week following the fire and assessed the situation. Although most
everything was destroyed, Linn discovered a few pieces of pottery and
part of the Osborn Firefinder while sifting through the rubble. The
wood stove was still standing in place.
The Forest Service has
been receiving many phone calls and emails regarding the future of the
Needles, with many people advocating to rebuild. The Buck Rock
Foundation (BRF) is assisting the forest with documentation of any
interest or comments regarding the Needles. Please send your contact
information to the BRF (buckrock@inreach.com) if you would like to be
notified when the Forest Service puts the NEPA together.
After
a brief stay at her home in Colorado, fire watcher Margee Kelly is
back in the saddle, staffing Jordan Peak Lookout for the Western
Divide Ranger District and plans on remaining there through the end of
fire season. She is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and
thanks those who have expressed their well-wishes. Her grandchildren
and their cat are doing well.
----------
7/29/2011:
The Needles Lookout
“Porterville, Needles, Emergency
Traffic. The roof of the lookout is on fire and I need immediate
assistance.”
With those words, Margee Kelly called in the most
important smoke report of her career. An ember from the wood stove
landed on the shake roof of The Needles Fire Lookout sparking a fire
that quickly spread along the roof and eventually into the attic.
Grabbing the fire extinguisher Margee fought to put the fire out, even
climbing up on a ladder placed on the catwalk in an attempt to get
closer to the blaze.
Sequoia Forest Helicopter 522 launched
from the Peppermint Helibase in a matter of minutes dropping several
buckets of water on the structure in what Margee calls “a heroic
effort to save the lookout.” Unfortunately, their efforts were in
vain.
Margee and her two grandchildren, who were visiting her
at the time, escaped without injury, and stood helpless as they
watched their beloved tower succumb to the fire. Twenty four years of
Margee’s accumulated treasures went up in flame - collections of
photos, memorabilia, newspaper clippings, first edition
author-autographed books, a recently refurbished telescope, pottery,
and so much more perished in the fire.
It is not surprising
that there has been an overwhelming outpouring of concern for Margee
as well as questions about the future of The Needles. Margee is taking
some time to recover but hopes to continue working this summer
staffing one of the unmanned fire towers on the Western Divide Ranger
District. There is talk of organizing an effort to take up a
collection to help replace some of the items she lost.
It is
too soon to speculate about the intentions of the Forest Service to
re-build the lookout – it is a daunting task given current health and
safety regulations, codes, red-tape and location. However, there is
already a substantial public outcry supporting the restoration of the
lookout and we are hopeful those pleas will be recognized.
Built by the CCC’s in 1937-1938, The Needles was quite possibly the
most impressively situated fire tower perched as it is on one of
several granite needle-like domes rising up from the depths of the
Kern Canyon. Recognized for its world-class climbing, the Needles has
long been a popular destination for adventurers from all over the
world.
© 2019 Buck Rock Foundation. All Rights Reserved. PO Box 540, Squaw Valley, CA 93675. 559-901-8151