Duval County and the surrounding areas are under a very high fire alert, and we're getting into the season for fires sparked by lightning. But 35 full-time fire spotters got a memo Wednesday that they're losing their jobs this summer.
Cutbacks mandated by the governor are behind the closing of all of Florida's full-time firewatchers.
The fire towers will be empty by June 30, but budget talks and politics are left below once Fouraker is above the canopy of firs. I just like the peaceful part of it, and looking out for things. It's estimated that only about 20 percent of fires are spotted by forest tower watchers, partly because of the spread of another type of tower, cell towers. Technology and airplanes are now the main eyes and ears to direct forest rangers and equipment to wildfires. They were used a lot, especially in the firestorm of 1998, but the spotters' were there, just as they were 75 years ago when the first towers were erected.