JACKSON, Wyo. — Visitors to the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) have a new resource at their disposal: a brand-new AM radio station.
BTNF launched 1710 AM on Tuesday, July 11. The new station will broadcast pertinent travel information to those recreating in the Forest, including camping tips, fire risk information, food storage suggestions, wildlife news and general safety advice.
Two permanent broadcasting stations have been established, one at the Blackrock Ranger Station in Moran, Wyoming, and the other at the supervisor’s office in Jackson. There will also be a mobile broadcasting station, capable of traveling throughout the forest.
A BTNF spokesperson compared the new endeavor to a traffic information radio station, with the focus remaining hyper-local and practical. Content will play continuously, starting off with public service announcements and pre-recorded content.
Listeners might recognize a familiar voice narrating the fire safety PSAs: Harrison Ford.
“This is Harrison Ford. Hot, dry summers mean a campfire can rapidly spread, becoming a wildfire,” one PSA begins.
Ford previously recorded fire safety messaging for Teton Interagency Fire and the Los Angeles Fire Department. Hear his eclipse-focused PSA from 2017 here.
The station will also feature Spanish-language messaging about recreating responsibly, part of a collaboration between Friends of the Bridger-Teton and Camina Conmigo, which organizes hikes for Jackson’s Latino workforce.
Tune into BTNF’s new station at 1710 on the AM dial.
