Wildland Fire + Smoke Communications

Wildland Fire + Smoke Communications

Western Montana's Glacier Country and our partners have developed a wildland fire and smoke communication strategy to help businesses share accurate, factual, and helpful information with visitors. This page serves as a resource hub, providing access to our crisis communication strategy, wildland fire communication guidelines, and trusted state and local resources on smoke and fire information.

STRATEGY

Our wildland fire and smoke communications/messaging plan is broken into three categories: preventive, during and recovery. The focus of this is how we respond to the impact it has on our visitors.

Preventive.

1. Share with industry partners resources available aimed at preparing our communities BEFORE a fire/smoke event occurs.
2. Share with visitors how they can have a safe and fun trip around Western Montana.
3. Remind visitors there are things they can do to prevent a wildland fire and that fires will likely not impact their trip if they are diligent in following the rules.

During.

Direct visitors toward available partner resources for information. We don’t want to have a "Western Montana is closed" message. We will provide relevant content and resources through an ongoing Western Montana Wildland Fire and Smoke blog, including information on closed areas, fire restrictions, and resources.  

Recovery.

Promote communities impacted by fires, communicating that they are open for business, and share current photos to promote visitation. 

COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

To ensure consistent, factual, and visitor-focused communication during wildland fire and smoke events, we encourage all partners to review our communication resources before a fire or smoke event impacts visitors.

We offer two resources designed to help businesses answer visitor questions, share accurate information, and communicate the impacts of wildland fire and smoke in a way that is helpful, reassuring, and aligned across the region.

These resources cover:

  • Recommended messaging and talking points
  • Communication best practices
  • Common misconceptions about wildland fire and smoke
  • How to provide visitors with factual, reassuring, and actionable information
  • Wildland fire prevention messaging for guests

Communication Guidelines for Wildland Fire Updates (PDF)
Download this condensed guide for a quick review of recommended messaging, communication best practices, and examples for discussing wildland fire and smoke conditions.conditions.

Don't Add Fuel to the Fire Training Course (Online Course, 30 Minutes)
This free online course provides a more in-depth look at recommended messaging, communication best practices, and common visitor questions related to wildland fire and smoke. Through real-world examples and scenarios, it is a valuable resource for front-line staff, social media managers, business owners, or anyone looking for a refresher on communicating with visitors about wildland fires.

RESOURCES

Here are some links that will help you stay informed in case there are wildland fires and smoke in Western Montana and help your visitors make informed travel decisions. Check back often, as these sites are updated daily, sometimes hourly.

We also have many webcams set up across Western Montana so we can see Glacier Country in real time and if there's smoke in the area.

Here are a few:

And, although I think we'd all agree we'd rather not have to deal with smoke, it’s not calamitous, and, if one area is smoky, there are always many, many places in Western Montana, and the state in general, that aren't.

If your visitors must revise their travel plans in Western Montana because of wildland fires or smoke, Western Montana's Glacier Country’s call center can help. Chat online here or call 800.338.5072.

MY GLACIER COUNTRY