Smokey Bear Turned 80

Direct link to video from Smokey Bear on YouTube

Happy 80th birthday Smokey Bear! Smokey turned 80 on August 9, 2024.

I have a memory from my childhood, probably when I was under the age of 12, of seeing Smokey Bear on TV, perhaps a commercial or perhaps a cartoon? Anyway, I think the message of "only you can prevent forest fires" hit home because our family vacations when I was a child were camping along the northern New England coast in a campground in a forest. Between watching my Dad safely build a camp fire in a ring on our campsite and remembering Smokey Bear I knew that I had a role in preventing forest fires. I recall my Dad putting out the camp fire with water, stirring the ashes, dosing the fire with water and then doing it again until the ashes were cool and there was no smoke. This was during the time before the internet, now we can go to the SmokeyBear website to learn about fire safety, they have a page on camp fire safety, most of which I recall my Dad teaching me.  They also have pages on backyard debris burning as well as how to properly maintain and use equipment (including chains on vehicles) as both can lead to forest fires if not done safely. There is other good information on this sight, worth checking out, bookmarking and discussing with your family and friends. In addition, NPR has a nice report dated August 9 on the history of Smokey Bear, it is a nice read.

In keeping with the times, over twenty years the slogan was changed to "only you can prevent wildfires."