Fire lookout tower in the background of a prairie.

Wildfires in Missouri

Look at a lookout

The Runge Conservation Center, located in Jefferson City, Mo., is home to a 55-foot fire lookout tower. The tower was moved to Runge in 2000, but used to stand 77-feet tall at Rocky Mount. It was orginally built in 1949. For 31 years, the same man, P.A. Hess staffed the tower.

A view from the bottom of the fire lookout tower at Runge Conservation Nature Center looking up to the top.
A view from the bottom of the fire tower at the Runge Conservation Nature Center on Oct. 16.
A view of the top half of the Runge lookout tower from across the praire field.
A view of the fire tower at Runge from across a prairie field Oct. 16. In the winter, the praire is a site for a controlled burn.
Inside of the fire tower sits an Osborne Fire Finder in a glass case. The sun coming in from the windows reflects the scenery, creating a mirror-effect.
The sun coming in from the windows of the fire tower at Runge creates a reflection.
The Osborne Fire Finder sitting in a glass case inside of the fire tower with the trees in the background.
The Osoborne Fire Finder in the Runge fire tower sits in a glass case inside Oct. 16. The device is used, along with a second fire lookout, to track the location of a fire.
The Runge lookout tower and a tree through a window.
The fire tower at Runge stands next to a replica of the top of the tower. The 55-foot tall tower can be seen from the replica.
The view of nearby trees and scenery through frosted windows at the top of the tower.
The 55-foot tall tower can see a lot of trees and greenery through frosted windows.
The view from directly below the tower of the stairs leading up to the top.
A view from below the tower of the narrow stairs leading to the top of the 55-foot tall tower.