For nearly a century, observers watched the forests across New York State from more than 100 fire towers perched atop the highest peaks, searching for the dangerous, telltale signs of forest fires. There were 19 fire towers in the Catskill region and 52 in the Adirondacks. Beginning in the 1980s, the State of New York began to phase out the use of fire towers for spotting for-est fires, and in 1990, the last 5 towers still in operation were closed. That said, volunteers now staff the towers so visitors can experience the views—usually on weekends.