FITM Needs YOUR Help!

Posted by Carmen Sigman on June 29, 2023

FIRE IN THE MOUNTAINS NEEDS YOUR HELP!

WE NEED YOUR VOICES TO KEEP OUR FESTIVAL ALIVE.

PLEASE WRITE AN EMAIL TO THE TETON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOICING YOUR SUPPORT.

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT IN PERSON AT THE TETON COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS MEETING ON TUESDAY, JULY 18!

FULL DETAILS BELOW
To the friends, family, and those considering joining us at FIRE IN THE MOUNTAINS – Fire In The Mountains is an event that thrives on community, and is upheld solely by the people who have become our family. This includes all of you who have attended the festival, performed music, shared stories by fireside and walked the trails of Buffalo Valley with us. Because we are an entity kept alive completely by our people, we now turn to you for some help. We don’t need your money, we only need your voice.

THE SITUATION:
The fate of the next and future editions of Fire In The Mountains is at risk due to permitting. Our event is contingent upon approval of a Conditional Use Permit. What that means is we are required by Teton County to apply for a permit that would grant us permission to hold Fire in the Mountains each year. We are currently in the process of having our permits reviewed by the commissioners of Teton County, and if these permits are denied, the future of the event will be thrown into doubt and question. We have made it a priority to do our due diligence, and work in alliance with the officials of Teton County, who work with the interest of preservation on and community in mind as we do in building a safe event that has a positive impact on both its attendees, and the land it takes place in.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
COMMISSIONER EMAIL DETAILS –
We are asking our community to send emails to both of the following email addresses in support of FITM:
[email protected]
[email protected]

As far as the message in the emails, our Owner and Co Founder, Jackson resident Jeremy Walker says the following:

“In these emails, please be positive, kind, and genuine. It’s important to express your sincere and genuine sentiments on what FITM means to you and why it’s such a unique, life changing event. Please express that the event is so unique and life changing because it’s at Heart Six Ranch. Another location wouldn’t have the same effect. Please describe how clean the festival and camping grounds were, how safe the festival was, and please mention how genuine and effective our environmental efforts are. Again, please write this email right now! We need an overwhelming show of public support by flooding their inboxes with positive and supportive emails. This is imperative to make FITM happen again.”

WHY TETON COUNTY?
Those who have attended the festival can probably answer this question already. Heart Six Ranch, and the horse pasture that the festival grounds occupy for a few days in July, are not only nestled in a beautiful location before the majesty of the Grand Tetons, but the ranch owners and ourselves have worked hand in hand to provide a space that allows for all of the safety and infrastructure necessary for an event of this size to take place. While we have certainly done some looking for other locations, Heart Six Ranch not only offers everything necessary for an event such as this, it offers it in an area where we can control our impact on the environment. And it is our home. We work hard to build this event as a respectful and memorable experience, and we feel it belongs here.

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU LIVE IN/NEAR TETON COUNTY:
If you are able to, the biggest help we can get in keeping our event and business alive, would be to request your presence at the Teton County Commissioners Hearing on July 18th, at 9am MST. At this event, there is an opportunity for public comment. While a small but very vocal group who oppose Fire In The Mountains typically makes sure to be as well represented as they can at these hearings, we happen to know there are more of us who believe in the event and the work we have done here. We would love for any of our supporters in the area to come and make their voices heard about your experience with Fire In The Mountains – why it should have a home here, how clean and respectful the event and its attendees are to the environment, and how it can serve as a unique life-changing experience for so many. The numbers we can present to show the reach of our impact are extremely important. Consider joining us at the hearing, as well as writing an email to the commissioners, as both of these avenues are extremely helpful, and important for them to hear your support from.

Please join us on July 18th at 9 AM at:
Teton County Administration Building
200 S Willow Street
Jackson, WY 83001

Imagine the impact we can have on the commissioners if they see a line out the door of FITM supporters wearing their FITM shirts. Let’s do it! We will see you there!

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN/NEAR TETON COUNTY:
Our community is built from people all over the country, and the world. So we understand not everyone can be there in person to aid us at this hearing, but that doesn’t mean your voice cannot be heard. A large number of emails flooding into the inboxes of our county commissioners will ensure that the positive impact Fire In The Mountains has on all involved with it will be felt.

THANK YOU
Thank you so much for your support, not just right now, but throughout the years. Everything that Fire In The Mountains has achieved is because our community has been alongside us as partners in this endeavor. If we all join our voices in, and write to the county commissioners, and show up in large numbers to the hearing on July 18th , we will be together again in the shadow of the Tetons, every year we have an event.

With deep appreciation, respect, and gratitude,

~ Jeremy, Alex, Ollie and Shane-