This is All That Remains of Lassen’s Historic Mount Harkness Fire Lookout

It was terrible to learn that the historic Mount Harkness Fire Lookout was destroyed from the flames of the Dixie Fire in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Now, park officials have been able to reach the scorched remnants of the lookout, showing the devastating impact of the fire in Northern California’s beloved national park.

Photos of the burned lookout show the foundation still standing, but most of the structure destroyed:

It’s a sad reminder of the impact of wildfire on historic destinations in NorCal. Here is a look at the structure before it was burnt:

Mount Harkness Fire Lookout has served as an active fire lookout and visitor destination since its construction in 1930. The rustic style two-story wood and stone structure sits at 8,046 feet elevation on the summit of an ancient shield volcano topped by a cinder cone. Though most historic fire lookout towers are not in service anymore, the Mount Harkness lookout remained staffed and utilized until its demise.

As of August 15, the Dixie Fire sits at 554,816 acres, the largest single fire in California’s history. We will continue to update the fire as more information is made available.