Imagine waking up to the beautiful sight from the sun, with nothing but the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees as your companion. This is the everyday scenario for Brigitte “Brig” Malessa, a Year-old fire lookout positioned relatively deep to the backcountry of central Oregon. It is for her the lifestyle and the way out from busy everyday life and also a way to experience intimate, deep contact with nature.
Brig kind of stumbled onto this unique career. It was in 2019 that she was on a camping trip to New Mexico and stumbled upon a fire tower, finding out that this was still a job. She’s always had a thing for very odd and very alone jobs. Before this, she lived on a sailboat, worked with salmon in Alaska, and even had been a bear guide. Her experiences probably made the life of a fire lookout just slide right into place.
Brig’s life was a somewhat monastic one of simplicity and responsibility: she lived in a 14-by-14 cabin atop a 20-foot tower. She has no electricity or running water, so she must bring her own water in and use a solar panel for minimum power. “We haul all our water in, so even if I shower it’s just with a little bit, not even a bucket,” she said. Brigs’ lamps and refrigerators are all fueled by propane. “I’ve got what I call a ‘pee bucket,’ and there’s an outhouse not much further,” she added.
Though many might consider it lonely, for Brig, it is a sanctuary. She works seven days a week, from 8:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night. With that, she scans the horizon from a window in her kitchen. “I think I see smoke, when I do, the first thing I do is look at the clock and record the time,” she says. The arc shape of the key instrument helps Rita to know where both azimuth and distance are for likely fires.
As wonderful as that sounds, this job is also not without its challenges. Brig endures every type of extreme weather: from scorching heat to the kind of cold that seems to hit one’s bones. She must be self-reliant with the knowledge and experience in store to handle anything that can possibly happen from equipment malfunction to close encounters with wildlife.
How lonely she had been at first, but gradually with each passing day, Brig found ways to be happy alone. She keeps herself occupied with her artworks and her ukulele; she also learned how to shoot a bow and arrow through archery this year. “Pwede kasing gawin ang lahat basta maraming nagbabantay lang,” she said with emphasis, pertaining to how free she felt and how flexible most of her hours are.
She shares a very strong bond with nature. “Nature’s always been my best friend. If I’m hanging out up here with the trees and some animals, I’m happy,” Brig admits. She barely ever gets lonely, even with her once-in-a-week engagement with people. In her line of duty, she has more time for reflection, working through the emotions, and enjoying the view around.
Of course, the pay for fire lookout work is humble but healthy. Brig takes in $18.06 an hour and figures she’ll be close to doubling last summer’s take of about $11,000 with considerable overtime. That amount sustains her throughout the year and covers the expenses of living life on her terms.
Brig’s story speaks to so many who feel miscast in most jobs. “Receiving messages from people saying, ‘I didn’t know that was a job,’ or saying they hope they find a similar path out of the 9–5 grind.”. Brig also openly admonished anyone pondering this lifestyle: “Make sure you know what it’s like to really feel alone and that you can handle it. Sometimes there’s no distractions up here.” He elaborated that while it understandably could be a great opportunity to work through things, especially grief, it can be very hard.
“It might not be a normal life, but for Brig, it’s perfect. As long as she can climb those stairs, she plans to continue her work, embracing the loneliness and beauty of the wilderness. ‘It kind of gets in your blood, being up here alone, outside, with nature,’ she muses. Most reflective of the spirit of resilience and self-sufficiency, which many strong-willed and adventurous souls would perhaps look up to.
In the life story of Brig, life offers a number of possible facets that are available to any that can inhabit in a deep and fulfilling way. There are many possibilities to live life; one can live it being creatively isolated or one with nature.
