I live in a 14ft x 14ft fire lookout in the forests of New Mexico - my ultra-remote home has no running water and the closest store is 35 MILES away

Could you live in a home like this?

Courtney McIntosh, 34, moved into a tiny 14ft by 14ft fire lookout in the wilds of Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, in April after landing a new job. 

Video footage reveals the innards of the elevated cabin, with the spaces including a simple kitchen, two beds and a workstation.  

As a fire lookout - a role which pays $16 an hour - Courtney works 8am to 6pm monitoring the weather, temperature, humidity and cloud cover.

This is Courtney's first season as a fire lookout and she will stay in her post until September 2025. 

Courtney McIntosh, 34, moved into a tiny 14ft by 14ft fire lookout in the wilds of Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, in April after landing a new job

Video footage reveals the innards of the elevated cabin, with the spaces including a simple kitchen, two beds and a workstation 

Her tiny abode, which was built in 1965 to replace a previous lookout, comes with electricity but has no running water. 

Instead, Courtney has to fill up water containers at the ranger station, which is located just over an hour away.

The nearest stores are also located 35 miles away, which makes shopping for groceries an arduous task. 

To keep her company, as there are no neighbors for miles around, Courtney has a dog called Captain Pepperoni.

Courtney's boyfriend, Michael, 36, has visited the lookout once and she will often take one day off a week to do chores and catch up on personal things.

When she is off duty at the lookout, Courtney - who is originally from Detroit, Michigan - keeps herself entertained by going for hikes, reading and listening to podcasts.

Meanwhile, her main job when she is on watch is to alert the fire service to any smoke or fires which could destroy the forest. 

Detailing what led her to apply for the lookout role, Courtney said: 'I have been working in the service industry for the past eight years.

As a fire lookout - a role which pays $16 an hour - Courtney works 8am to 6pm monitoring the weather, temperature, humidity and cloud cover

To keep her company, as there are no neighbors for miles around, Courtney has a dog called Captain Pepperoni

'I do have a background in environmentalism and have done a lot of volunteer work.

'I was looking to get out of the service industry, I wanted to be isolated when I came across a TikToker who was living in a fire lookout.

'I asked them for advice, looked around different districts and applied for roles until I got this job.

'I really enjoy the solitude I get in the job, I enjoy reconnecting with the land and it gives you a lot of free time.

'I love knowing that I am taking care of the land.'

Courtney first applied for a fire lookout role in September 2022 but it took her two more tries before landing an offer a year later. 

Explaining some of the requirements for her line of work, Courtney said: 'I took the certifications online, it was all free and very interesting.

'It was more introducing me into the role and it taught me about wild fire behavior. It only took me a few days to do.'

Courtney's boyfriend, Michael, 36, has visited the lookout once and she will often take one day off a week to do chores and catch up on personal things

Her main job, when she is on watch, is to alert the fire service to any smoke and fires which could destroy the forest

Once she got offered the job, Courtney said her parents were excited for the opportunity but also sad she would be away for long stints at a time.

Her friends were also 'super supportive,' as they knew it was a career change she was pursuing. 

Courtney does have holiday days but said she is choosing to save them until her year is up.

Revealing what an average day in the job looks like, the adventurer says: 'I wake up around 6am to 6.30am, I make a coffee and do a quick check to make sure nothing has happened.

'Usually smoke from fire will happen first thing.

'At around 9.30am I will check the weather, in my role I also monitor the temperature, humidity, cloud cover and I will record if there has been any rain.

'I will do that again at 1pm and spend the rest of my day scanning for smoke.

Once she got offered the job, Courtney said her parents were excited for her new role but also sad she would be away for long stints at a time

'Between 5pm and 7.30pm the lookout gets very hot, I will usually get out and go for a hike.

'When I get back I will make dinner, do yoga and be asleep for 10pm.'

Showing her dedication to the job, Courtney says she is allowed two days off a week but will usually work for two weeks straight if she has enough supplies.

She concludes: 'I am allowed to take two days off a week, sometimes in my lookout I will need someone to come up when I am not here.

'Usually, I will take one day off a week or if I have supplies I will do two weeks in a row.

'I won't see my family until the end of the season, if there is a family emergency I will go home but I plan to stay here the whole season.'