Lye from the smoke ash poisoned fish in local creeks and lakes.Įach year brought hundreds of damaging wildfires until 1908 when the public demanded the state take action. Forest fires not only threatened mountain homes, farms and businesses, but burned acres of trees, plants, and animals. For instance, a fire in 1903 burned for seven weeks and raged so strongly it reportedly blackened the skies with its smoke. With these incendiary conditions and no systemized response yet in place for reporting or fighting flames, the early part of the 20th century witnessed several destructive forest fires. Downed trees and brush left behind by loggers provided fuel for the flames. Forest fires can start naturally, especially in drought conditions, but in the early part of the 20th century they were often ignited by sparks or live coal from passing railroad locomotives, smokers, and uncontrolled brush fires. The Catskills fire towers were built in response to forest fires both manmade and natural. The following provides a little information on the history of the Catskills fire towers as a supplement to this annual tradition with a focus on the Hunter Mountain fire tower. 4), the Catskill Center lit each of the five Catskills fire towers (Balsam Lake, Hunter, Overlook, Red Hill, and Tremper) to commemorate those people who worked to support these amazing structures.
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