Osborne Fire Finder

Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) was created by legislation in 1915 to manage and protect forests across the state. Specialized equipment such as this Osborne Fire Finder assists TFS in locating and suppressing wildfires that threaten Texan landscapes.

As Texan cities and suburbs continue to expand and impact the natural environment, wildfires are far from a rural issue. Eighty-five percent of wildfires occur within two miles of a community, making wildfire management a priority in avoiding loss of life, property, and natural resources. One of the TFS’s main missions is to prevent and extinguish wildfires across the state. TFS takes a command role in coordinating the response to all wildfires in Texas, working with more than 1,800 local fire departments to tackle larger blazes and provide access to State training and equipment. Today, TFS employs more than 300 wildland firefighters who follow a response model of location, suppression, and prevention.

One crucial piece of equipment, the Osborne Fire Finder, is used in lookout towers to determine the directional bearing and location of a wildfire. Foresters place a topographic map of the surrounding area in the device between rotating and stationary metal rings. The rotating ring adjusts the position of two sights mounted on opposite sides, while the stationary ring of the finder marks 360 degrees. When the sights are aligned to fire or smoke on the horizon, an arrow lines up with one of the degree marks, showing the flames’ directional bearing relative to the lookout tower. Though this version of the Osborne fire finder was designed in 1934, it remains in use today as it is reliable in remote places unequipped with satellite technology.

Once wildland firefighters discover the bearing and location of a fire, they can launch a coordinated response to suppress the flames. Prevention reduces wildfires—starting controlled fires can help avoid destructive blazes. TFS authorizes wildland firefighters to intentionally set fires called a burnout or prescribed burn. A burnout involves starting a smaller fire in the path of an active wildfire to take away natural resources that fuel wildfires like plants, leaves, and wood. A prescribed burn uses contained fire to remove excess natural resources that could have sustained future wildfires.