[Lookout towers, Menzies and Elk Falls]
- AAAA0718
- Item
- [19--]
Part of Forest Service films
Stock shots
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[Lookout towers, Menzies and Elk Falls]
Part of Forest Service films
Stock shots
Forest Service lookout photographs
The series consists of ca. 4300 negatives and ca. 5000 photographic prints taken from forest lookouts between 1936 and 1993. Falling under the function of forest protection, "lookout photography" or "panoramic lookout photography" was first initiated in B.C. in 1936. It involved taking a set of eight large-format film images at 263 fire lookout sites.
The negatives were used to create 20 x 32 cm (7½ x 12¾" black and white photo prints, and a grid was photographically superimposed on each print, indicating the compass bearing from 0 to 360 degrees and vertical angle from +10 to -15 degrees from the horizontal. These prints were bound into book form, and kept on hand in the lookout and at the Ranger Station to aid in communicating the details of fire locations using visual references. They were also used to orient the fire finder in the lookout - a rotatable sighting device mounted over a map located in the centre of the building. The books list the date of the images and the location. Some books also contain notations on the photos. The series also contains 2 boxes of photographic proofs which contain information about the date and time that the image was taken and the weather conditions at that time.
In the photographing process, bearings were established with the use of a surveyor's transit and level, and an interchangeable camera. With the transit, the photographer determined the precise known bearing of a distant reference object (usually a mountain peak or another lookout, sometimes a topographic survey cairn). By lifting the transit off the mount and replacing it with the camera, they could then take their eight photographs at 45-degree horizontal intervals. Photographs from the lookout were taken in this order: shot #1, North; shot #2, 45 degrees; shot #3, East; shot #4, 135 degrees; shot #5, South; shot #6, 225 degrees; shot #7, West; shot #8, 315 degrees. A suitable camera was initially borrowed from another agency until one specially built by the National Research Council in Ottawa was obtained in the summer of 1945. One report from the late 1940s states that the eight views each included a horizontal angle of 50 degrees, so that the full panorama was completed with an overlap of 5 degrees per photograph. Photos were taken on infrared film to maximize haze penetration, and a duplicate set of negatives were taken with panchromatic.
Most lookouts were photographed at least once; some were photographed two or three times. This “rephotography” was deemed necessary when there were appreciable changes, over time, in a view from a lookout. Changes in view were caused by various factors: elimination of vegetative cover due to wildfires or logging; the erecting, rebuilding or relocation of a tower; construction of dams; or the change in view caused by tree clearing at the mountain summit. Most lookouts were sites that had established structures; however, some were undeveloped sites.
The photography was sometimes carried out by a two-man crew consisting of UBC forestry students. In time, "visibility mapping" to evaluate potential new lookout sites was combined with lookout photography at existing sites; in some years a two-man crew would do both. Access to lookout sites by helicopter was used by 1960. The same crews sometimes also took photographs on behalf of the National Parks Service for parks lookouts located in B.C. For some years there was limited or no field work undertaken in either lookout photography or visibility mapping. The last photos were taken by professional surveyors on a contract basis as a pilot project.
The majority of the lookout structures were built by the B.C. Forest Service; however, several had been built by the federal government to fulfill their obligation to protect timber from wildfire within the Railway Belt. In 1930 the Railway Belt and its lookout structures were turned over to the Province of B.C.
The number of lookouts that were staffed declined in the late 1970s and early 1980s as other means of fire detection became more efficient, notably, aircraft patrols and public reporting. In addition, the electronic lightning location system that began in 1980 indicated where lightning activity had occurred, and computer models then predicted the likely location and number of new lighting-caused and people-caused fires. The decline in fire lookouts was due to technological changes, and cost-benefit analyses probably showed that some lookouts were no longer good investments. Lookout photography was given up as lookouts declined in value.
The photographs are a resource for studying landscape change. Old harvesting, regeneration, and the impacts of wildfire and urban expansion may be observed in many of the photograph sets.
British Columbia. Dept. of Lands
View from Wigwam forest lookout, NE shot 2
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 49.234, Longitude 114.983, Elevation 2074, Region 1 District 0
Forest Service; Mount Buchanan lookout.
View from Dodjatin forest lookout, E shot 3.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.927, Longitude 131.278, Elevation 1464, Region R District 9
View from Dodjatin forest lookout, SE shot 4.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.927, Longitude 131.278, Elevation 1464, Region R District 9
View from Queest forest lookout, NW shot 8
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 50.987, Longitude 118.869, Elevation 2088, Region K District 3
View from Swede forest lookout, N shot 1
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 53.341, Longitude 122.414, Elevation 1068, Region 1 District 0
View from Swede forest lookout, E shot 3
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 53.341, Longitude 122.414, Elevation 1068, Region 1 District 0
View from Swede forest lookout, SW shot 6
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 53.341, Longitude 122.414, Elevation 1068, Region 1 District 0
View from Wabi (Little Prairie) forest lookout, N shot 1
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Region G District 7
View from Wabi (Little Prairie) forest lookout, E shot 3
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Region G District 7
View from Wabi (Little Prairie) forest lookout, S shot 5
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Region G District 7
View from Summit forest lookout, E shot 3
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 48.559, Longitude 123.798, Elevation 941, Region V District 6
View from Summit forest lookout, W shot 7
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 48.559, Longitude 123.798, Elevation 941, Region V District 6
View from Wigwam forest lookout, SE shot 4
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 49.234, Longitude 114.983, Elevation 2074, Region 1 District 0
View from Wigwam forest lookout, W shot 7
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 49.234, Longitude 114.983, Elevation 2074, Region 1 District 0
View from Dodjatin forest lookout, W shot 7.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.927, Longitude 131.278, Elevation 1464, Region R District 9
View from Pink forest lookout, N shot 1
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.072, Longitude 122.872, Elevation 1788, Region G District 8
View from Pink forest lookout, SE shot 4
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.072, Longitude 122.872, Elevation 1788, Region G District 8
View from Pink forest lookout, SW shot 6
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.072, Longitude 122.872, Elevation 1788, Region G District 8
View from Pink forest lookout, NW shot 8
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 57.072, Longitude 122.872, Elevation 1788, Region G District 8
View from Mara forest lookout, N shot 1
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 50.766, Longitude 118.842, Elevation 2184, Region K District 3
View from Mara forest lookout, S shot 5
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 50.766, Longitude 118.842, Elevation 2184, Region K District 3
View from Mara forest lookout, SW shot 6
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 50.766, Longitude 118.842, Elevation 2184, Region K District 3
View from Casey forest lookout, N shot 4.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 49.246, Longitude 115.417, Elevation 1638, Region N District 1
View from Beaver Mountain forest lookout, SE shot 4.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 49.15, Longitude 117.433, Elevation 1959, Region N District 5
View from Bullhead forest lookout, NE shot 2.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 56.045, Longitude 122.131, Elevation 1135, Region G District 7
View from Cornwall forest lookout, E shot 3.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 50.696, Longitude 121.467, Elevation 2024, Region K District 2
View from Cornwall forest lookout, SE shot 4.
Image consists of a fire detection lookout image taken at Latitude 50.696, Longitude 121.467, Elevation 2024, Region K District 2