Fire Tower

Documentary
Yukon, Canada | 47 min | 2024

Perched in the Rocky Mountains above empty expanses across northern Canada, we meet the people behind the binoculars. Fire tower “lookouts” all experience the rush of spotting smoke and pre-empting evacuations. They all take pride in protecting the land and its people. They have all been struck by lightning. 

For more than a century, lookouts have been the dedicated “eyes in the sky”, a critical first-line of defense. In this documentary, the cast of lookouts remind us that climate change and technology are encroaching on all our lives and livelihoods. Today, despite the unprecedented number of wildfires, there are only four Canadian provinces that continue to employ human radar. How can they compete with fleets of drones, satellites and cell phones?

The best way to stop a fire is to spot it early… Lookouts are still critical anchors in our fire safety networks. When lightning strikes, they can flag a wisp of smoke 60 miles away and interpret its intensity in shades of grey, ahead of infrared imagery. Within minutes, they can radio other responders to mobilize their planes, helicopters and equipment before forests become matchsticks that devastate communities.

Beyond the action, gazing out from their towers also grants the lookouts telling moments of introspection. In our hyper-connected, multi-tasking world, Fire Tower invites us to contemplate how solitude can inspire a different kind of connection with nature, community and our own creativity.