Bramley Joins Annual Light the Tower Event

DELHI — This is the 12th annual Lighting Event sponsored by the New York State Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association (FFLA), and Bramley Mountain Fire Tower is thrilled to be participating! 

On Saturday, August 30th, from 8:30 to 9:30 pm, there will be a light shining in the cab of many towers across New York State. According to the FFLA: “Last year we had so many wonderful volunteers that we were able to light over 30 towers! We hope to increase that number this year.” 

“The lighting is done to honor the men and women who worked in these historic towers; protecting homes, businesses, communities and surrounding forests. They invite people to go to locations around the community (listed on our website https://www.nysffla.org/light.html) where they can look up, see the light on the horizon and remember that there was a fire tower there watching over them.” 

“This is an opportunity to visit an area in your community where you can see the fire tower light come on when you look up. Plan a small gathering, plan refreshments and enjoy! All Illuminators will read aloud the names of those who served in the towers as they turn on the light.” 

In the event of rain, the event will be held on Sunday, August 31st at 8:30pm.  The Bramley Mountain Fire Tower will be visible from many places in Bloomville and Bovina including along Route 10 outside of Bloomville. 

About Friends of Bramley Mountain Fire Tower

The Friends is an all-volunteer 501c3 corporation, formed to restore and reconstruct the Bramley Mountain Fire Tower on the summit of Bramley Mountain and to manage the tower after reconstruction. The cab of the Bramley Mountain Fire Tower is open to visitors on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from Memorial Day Weekend through Indigenous People’s Day, from approximately 10 am until 4 pm, weather dependent. 

Working with the Friends on this project is Delaware County and the New York City DEP. 

About Bramley Mountain Fire Tower

In 1950, an 80-foot Aeromotor Company LS40 fire tower was erected on the summit of Bramley Mountain by the New York State DEC.  For 20 years, Fire Observers and Forest Rangers monitored the local area for fires from this tower, triangulating locations in conjunction with the Mt. Utsayantha and Balsam Lake Fire Tower Observers. According to the DEC, the Bramley Mountain tower was also visible from the Hunter Mountain and Tremper Mountain towers. A vital part of protecting the surrounding region from forest fires, the tower stood prominently on the summit for 25 years.  The tower was decommissioned in 1970 and in 1975 it was sold to Pete Clark, a local farmer and removed. The Clark family offered the tower to FOBMFT to return it to the summit of Bramley Mountain. It was restored and returned to Bramley Mountain in 2024. The tower was officially reopened in January of 2025.