Published August 5, 2026 05:04PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Every summer since 1924, U.S. Forest Service employees have worked inside\u00a0the historic Flag Point Fire Lookout<\/a> in Oregon\u2019s Mount Hood National Forest (MHNF). On July 31, 2026, the high-alpine cabin burned to the ground.<\/p>\n Flag Point is one of many beloved outdoor destinations in the Pacific Northwest to be destroyed or threatened by surging wildfires.\u00a0The Grasshopper Fire burning east of Mount Hood destroyed the historic fire lookout, forced the evacuation of ski area Mt. Hood Meadows, and closed more than 50 trails across the mountain.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been hot and dry this whole summer,\u201d Heather Ibsen, an MHNF spokesperson told Outside<\/em>. Nobody was inside the Flag Point Fire Lookout when it burned because the Forest Service evacuated staff as the fire got close, she said.<\/p>\n But forests, fire lookouts, and recreation sites remain at risk. Officials shut down most of Mount Hood in the middle of its summer season. Mt. Hood Meadows, the largest ski resort on the mountain, is evacuated. Timberline Lodge, a historic landmark built in 1938 on the mountain\u2019s south side, suspended hiking and mountain biking operations. Skibowl, a year-round recreational resort near the town of Government Camp, closed for smoke.<\/p>\n Sparked by lightning on July 23, the Grasshopper Fire has burned nearly 35,000 acres<\/a> as of August 5, officials said, and remains just 19 percent contained as of the publishing of this story. Roughly 1,300 firefighters and safety officials\u00a0are currently battling the blaze.<\/p>\n The lookout was one of three Forest Service watchtowers on Mount Hood, and it remained part of the fire detection network, working alongside forest patrols<\/a>, cameras, and remote-sensing systems. Members of the public could also rent the lookout in the off-season.<\/p>\n Though the Mount Hood community is already mourning<\/a> the fire lookout, Ibsen told Outside<\/em> that losing it doesn\u2019t leave a hole in coverage\u2014at least, not yet.<\/p>\n \u201cThe in-person fire lookouts are really valuable, but they\u2019re not the only tool we have,\u201d said Ibsen. The Forest Service detects fires using a mix of staffed lookouts, remote cameras, satellite heat data, and firefighters patrolling by truck.<\/p>\n Mt. Hood Meadows is roughly 60 miles from Portland. As the Grasshopper Fire pushed up against its boundaries, officials announced<\/a> a \u201cGo Now\u201d evacuation\u2014the most urgent\u2014in the early morning of August 4.<\/p>\n \u201cWhelp, we hoped we wouldn\u2019t have to post this, but here we are,\u201d the ski mountain wrote on Instagram following the Level 3 evacuation.<\/p>\nFlag Point Lookout Burns Down After 102 Years<\/h2>\n
\u201cGo Now\u201d Order Issued for Mt. Hood Meadows<\/h2>\n