In Point Reyes, all ears are tuned to local radio, a beacon amid the fog of fire

With evacuation warnings still in place, smoke from back-burn fires drifted out of the oaks and pines above the tiny town of Point Reyes Station in Marin County on Friday, mixing with thick coastal fog until the two were indistinguishable to most people. They are the ones you can go to for information.” Amanda Eichstaedt, general manager at public radio station KWMR in Point Reyes Station. But the COVID-19 pandemic upended how the shoestring station operates, and this wildfire season has left Eichstaedt and her program manager, Jeff Manson, running it nearly alone, “flying on adrenaline,” he said — the last two standing in a complex endeavor that usually has six staffers and 90 volunteers to help. “It feels really good to be here listening to the scanner, getting the information straight, because we are in a time of so much speculation.” Jeff Manson is one of two staffers working during the pandemic at the public radio station in Point Reyes Station. And she’s become “like BFFs” with the county public information officer, she said, which has allowed the station access to information quickly.