Watch HOT SPOT on PBS. See more from Northwest Profiles.

NATIONAL FORESTS -- Forest fire lookout historians have arranged to install a memorial at the site lightning struck in 1967 setting off a huge wildfire in the Selkirk Mountains north of Sandpoint. 

 Following is the update from Ray Kresek, author, historian and host to a forest fire lookout museum in has backyard in west Spokane.  (See video above. Call for a tour).

The large 3” thick cedar signs have now been carved, painted, linseed oiled, and are ready to hang on the posts

already planted atop Sundance Mountain as soon as the snow is gone at the site. It’ll be a while though. At last report, there’s still almost 15’ of snow on the ground at the memorial site 300’ from Sundance Lookout. It is situated just over the leeward edge of the summit, where winter snowdrifts are last to leave. An average snow year, the fire origin site would be free of snow by the 4th of July. This year, a near record snow year, it’s anybody’s guess.

 

We wish to thank the Webley Brothers Lumber Company in Colville, WA for their generous contribution of three fine cedar planks, with a personal attachment (both were among the 1967 Sundance firefighters); Dave Kresek and Altek Company for computer carving the signs; and those members of the Forest Fire Lookout Ass’n. for their help building the interpretive site trail.

 

Ray Kresek

Fire Lookout Museum

Contact:(509) 466-9171; email rkresek@comcast.net