Lookout Site Regions: Origin Site ~ Central WA, Re-Lo Site ~ Central WA
The move of the Chelan Butte Lookout from above Chelan to the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center in Entiat is a good example of a Type 1 Re-Location. As described in the FFLA web site (firelookout.org) Chelan Butte entry: “The first tower built was a 40′ pole L-4 in 1936. It burned down, replaced in 1939 by a 28′ treated timber tower with L-4 cab. Staffed sporadically into the 1990s, the tower was moved to the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center 1 mile north of Entiat, Washington, alongside Highway 97, in 1995.”
A partnership between the Wenatchee National Forest and the CBFIC Foundation allowed transfer of the inactive lookout to the CBFIC. It was dissembled and moved in 1995 and reassembled in 1996 at the CBFIC.
The Chelan Butte Lookout was the first of three to be moved to the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center (CBFIC). The other two lookouts on display at the CBFIC are the L-4 cab from the Badger Mountain Lookout and the 2nd level of the East Flattop Lookout.
Chelan Butte LO moves from Chelan Butte to CBFIC
History
The interpretive center began with the desire to save an old Forest Service fire lookout, by bringing it down from the mountains to an accessible spot along a well-traveled highway. In 1990, Nancy Belt, an assistant fire dispatcher for the Wenatchee National Forest, planted the seed for the project by earning a grant from the Forest Service to study the feasibility of the idea. As she gathered information and support for her proposal, the idea grew into much broader dream. With time and exposure, a foundation was formed and the vision expanded to that of a world-class fire interpretive center that would interpret the ecological role of fire and showcase the interactions of people with fire. With strong public support, the concept has flared to reality as the Columbia breaks Fire Interpretive Center continues to develop. (From the CBFIC web site,)
Our Visit to the Chelan Butte LO’s RE-LO SITE at Columbia Breaks ~ 8/23/2017
Peggy and I stopped at the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center to view the re-located Chelan Butte LO cab as well as the other two re-located LOs displayed there.
Our visit to the Chelan Butte LOs ORIGIN SITE atop Chelan Butte on 9/11/2017.
The tower’s concrete footing blocks were still there when we visited the Chelan Butte LO Site. They were being used to support some of the communication complex’s equipment.
There are 2 other Re-Located LOs at CBFIC ~ Badger Mtn and the East Flattop upper level cab, Click the box to read about one of these.