An afternoon lightning strike is to blame for the blaze that brought down the 10,000-foot lookout tower, which was built in 1931 and renovated in 1998.  

“The building was eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, both for its significance in early park resource protection efforts, and as an outstanding example of the rustic architectural style that typified early park architecture,” Yellowstone National Park Deputy Superintendent Pat Kenney in a statement. “We are disappointed that this historic structure, as a window into the past, is gone.”

In a Facebook post on Thursday, the agency said the truck, which the county received at no cost through state government partners, will be “demobilized from the military” and get a new paint job.  

The LMTV will then be given to the Southeast Pamlico Fire Department, which will use it as a dual-purpose brush truck and high water vehicle.