Surplus Fire Towers

When the Florida Forest Service decides a fire tower is no longer needed, the tower may be sold as surplus state property. Surplus towers will be listed on GovDeals, usually for 30 days. At the end of the 30-day period, the person who submits the highest bid is awarded the fire tower.

Interested in Purchasing a Fire Tower?

Before you bid on a fire tower, you should be aware that:

• Prospective bidders are allowed to visit the fire tower site to view the tower before submitting a bid. However, they may not be allowed to climb the stairs to the tower cabin due to safety and liability concerns.
• The high bidder is expected to dismantle and deliver the tower to its new destination. Fire towers are usually dismantled in sections with the assistance of a buyer-provided crane and loaded on a buyer-provided flatbed and hauled away. Florida Forest Service staff will usually witness the tower removal to make sure no damage occurs to Forestry property at the site. The cost of dismantling and moving a fire tower is typically higher than the cost of the tower itself, especially if the buyer must contract people and equipment to dismantle and haul the fire tower away.

Want to Be Notified When a Fire Tower Is for Sale?

If you would like to be notified when a fire tower is being advertised on GovDeals, please submit a request to Cathy.Sellers@FDACS.gov that includes:

• Your name,
• Mailing address,
• Phone number and
• Email address.