Historical information
Victoria once had well over one hundred fire lookouts and firetowers.
Fire lookouts, or observation posts, were often just a clearing on a hill or a vantage point, whereas firetowers were definite structures.
Many were established by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) in the 1920s, but the network was expanded rapidly in response to recommendations of the Stretton Royal Commission after the 1939 Black Friday bushfires.
When a fire or smoke was spotted from the tower a bearing was taken with the alidade and radioed or telephoned into the district office. It was then cross referenced with bearings from other towers on a large wall map to give a "fix" on the fire location.
Alidades and telescopes were used in the post war period but were replaced with a much simpler map table and reference string suspended from the centre of the tower cabin.
This "Fire Finder" was used in Canadian fire towers to identify the location of wildfires.
The unique design was first developed by the British Columbia Forest Service (BCFS) in the early 1950s.
Close examination of the map indicates that this particular Fire Finder may have been once used at Bluejoint Mountain lookout in Granby Provincial Park.
This Fire Finder was a gift to Barry (Rocky) Marsden from the British Columbia Forest Service in the late 1980s in recognition of the close relationships that had been forged with the staff at the Altona Workshops over many decades. Fire Finders were originally painted black but this one was repainted green after it arrived at Altona.
The BC Forest Service had a large facility where they manufactured Fire Finders and many other items of equipment, but in the 1980s it was shut down.
Physical description
Heavy cast iron circular object with a paper topographic map mounted on it.
The metal dial and ruler works similar to a compass. The sight tube is used to determine the bearing and elevation of the fire on the map.
This Fire Finder also sometimes known as an Alidade.
Its a different design from the Osborne Fire Finder widely used in North American fire lookouts from the 1920s.
Inscriptions & markings
British Columbia Forest Service.
Model 62A.
Serial Number 6308.
