The Bridger-Teton National Forest near Jackson Hole, Wyoming has commenced broadcasting on a new AM information station, with a huge celebrity name helping deliver an important message. Actor and conservationist Harrison Ford lent his voice to special fire safety announcements specific to the area and exclusive to the station.
The station, the brainchild of Bridger-Teton’s fire prevention specialist, Lesley Gomez-Williams, aims to raise awareness on fire risks and promote safe camping practices. Ford, who owns property in the region, emphasizes the importance of dousing campfires correctly to prevent wildfires.
One of Ford’s PSAs states, “Hot dry summers mean a campfire can rapidly spread becoming a wildfire. Did you know you could be held responsible for hefty fire and suppression costs? Drown your campfire before you leave.”
The station’s launch responds to the increased need for easily accessible information, following a surge in visitor numbers to Teton County during the COVID-19 pandemic – a need that AM radio can easily, quickly, and efficiently fill. The station is run by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service on RadioSTAT signals.
In an interview, Friends of the Bridger-Teton‘s Scott Kosiba told local station KHOL, “[In national parks], you’re crossing a threshold, you’re making eye contact with a park ranger and you’re getting that information directly from a human,” Kosiba said. “On the national forest public lands — whether it’s the Bridger-Teton, the Caribou-Targhee, anywhere else — you don’t have that direct access to information.”
