PINE GROVE, Calif. — Fire season is ramping up in the Sierra and now, there are extra eyes in the sky making sure that mountain communities stay safe.
The Mt. Zion Lookout Tower, A metal structure 65 feet above the ground in Amador County, is Rich Martin's happy place.
"When I was a kid, I would come up weekly and visit the two ladies that were staffing the tower back then," said Martin. "The lookout has been responsible for spotting fires before anyone's called 911."
Most people have probably never heard of those fires: a testament to the speed and attentiveness of Martin and his staff of volunteers.
"They average anywhere from six-hour shifts to twelve-hour shifts," said Martin. "We can see 30 to 60 miles."
But Martin doesn't have to look that far for a reminder of how important the job is, the burn scar and downed trees from the Butte Fire can be seen with the naked eye, just a few miles away.
The 2015 blaze destroyed 965 structures and killed two people — a tragedy volunteers here hope to prevent, especially after two rainy years and the first heatwave of the season.
"We were planning on staffing the towers when we started to staff our engine which was June 10," said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Stevie Long. "But we started having increased fire activity."
Martin and his friends were called in earlier this week.
"When you're driving and you see how the brush is drying out, you know your days are numbered before coming out here," said volunteer Deborah Abrams.
Cal Fire's Amador-El Dorado Unit is looking for a few more volunteers for the season, but they must meet certain criteria.
While new technology tries to do the job for them, nothing can beat the human eye or at least Martin's passion.
"We're constantly up here scanning the horizon... for me, it's therapy," said Martin. "Being able to watch over our communities is very rewarding."
Watch more from ABC10: California Heat Wave: Excessive heat warning and increasing fire risk
