Light the Night: Adirondack Fire Towers Shine in 2025 Tribute
During Labor Day weekend, dozens of fire towers will be illuminated simultaneously as part of an annual tradition.
Hadley Fire Tower.
As summer quietly gives way to autumn, a magical tradition returns—this year marking its 12th anniversary.
On Saturday, August 30, 2025, between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm, fire towers across the Adirondacks and beyond will be illuminated in unison, casting a luminous salute to the brave individuals who once manned these tall sentinels of the wilderness.
The New York State Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association (NYSFFLA) organizes the 12th Annual Fire Tower Lighting Event. They stress that this is not a hiking event—but a moment to pause, look skyward, and reflect on the best of 2025 and what’s still to come.
A tradition born from a brilliant idea.
The concept for this radiant tribute came from volunteer coordinators who envisioned a way to make fire towers visible once more as beacons of protection—reminding communities of the vigilant individuals who kept watch from above.
Mt. Arab Fire Tower. Photo courtesy ROOSTadk.org.
Each year, volunteers known as Illuminators climb to the summit of a tower, switch on a light in the cab, and honor past fire observers as their towers glow against the night sky.
What’s New for 2025.
This year, the event grows in both significance and scale:
12th Annual event — a dozen years illuminating history, starting from 2014
Illuminator registration timeline — volunteers can register through August 18, giving organizers time to coordinate logistics and promote the event locally.
Program details: Lights will shine from 8:30 to 9:30 pm, with a rain date of Sunday, August 31, 2025.
Honoring the past: As each tower lights up, Illuminators will honor the name and service of fire observers—reconnecting us with the human stories behind these iconic landmarks.
Where to watch.
Experts recommend selecting a safe, accessible location in your community offering open visibility—such as a lakeshore, summit lookout, or local field—to gather family, friends, or neighbors.
Photo courtesy ADKX.org
Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, a thermos of something warm, and binoculars to enhance the experience.
Some of the participating towers in popular locations include:
Mount Arab (visible from Route 3 west of Tupper Lake)
Buck Mountain (near Little Tupper Lake)
Goodnow (near Newcomb)
Hurricane Mountain (Route 73 near Keene)
Owl's Head (Visible From Lake Eaton State Park beach in Long Lake - Mt. Sabattis side)
St. Regis (visible from Paul Smith’s VIC)
Stillwater (visible from Beaver Lake, Stillwater Reservoir, or any church steeple in Lowville)
Lighting the night at Kane Fire Tower near Caroga Lake. Photo by Debi Tebano,
Adirondack Fire Towers Participating.
The current list of participating fire towers includes:
A story of conservation, community and history.
The Lighting of the Fire Towers beautifully intertwines Adirondack conservation with community celebration and historical remembrance.
Belfry fire tower. Photo courtesy ROOSTadk.org.
Fire towers, once vital tools for spotting and curbing forest fires, gradually fell into disuse after modern surveillance advances—but preservation efforts have revived many of these towers, making them cherished landmarks once again.
The glowing towers serve as a poignant reminder of the forest rangers and observers whose steadfast vigilance helped safeguard homes, wilderness, and people across generations.
How to participate in this special Adirondack event.
Register as an Illuminator— Reach out to the NYSFFLA via their website or the provided email contact to learn more.
Plan a viewing gathering—choose a spot with a clear view of a nearby tower, invite loved ones, share local history, and welcome the moment when the light appears.
Spread the word—this event thrives when communities come together. Share notices in local papers, online, or via word of mouth.
As 2025 ushers in a new year of this luminous tradition, the Lighting of the Fire Towers invites us all to pause under the night sky and remember those who climbed high to keep us safe. In one shared moment, the past flickers to life, connecting generations through light, landscape, and legacy.
When the skies dim and twilight deepens on August 30, turn your gaze upward—the fire towers will be standing, shining—and the stories they evoke will once again light our hearts.
Fire Towers light up the Adirondack Night. Video courtesy Mountain Lake PBS.
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