Smokey Bear Marks Another Birthday

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, U.S. Forest Service personnel and the audience at the Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., took the opportunity earlier this month to wish a happy birthday to the symbol of wildfire prevention for multiple generations; “Smokey Bear”. 

Smokey’s cause is 81 years old this year, with the message consistent over that time. 

“Only you can prevent wildfires”. 

Smokey's Message Has Changed Very Little Since World War II

And according to Forest Service historian Lincoln Bramwell. 

“It's been going continuously since 1944.  There were no breaks where it was abandoned for a decade and reintroduced.  It's the single longest continual PSA announcement in U.S. history.” 

The original Smokey character looked different than the version most of us have grown up with and know today. 

“They started working with this cartoon bear character,” Bramwell said.  “They named it Smokey after a popular New York City assistant Fire Chief nicknamed “Smokey” Joe Martin, and they started mayor minting and adding a hat to this bear, adding pants to this cartoon character.” 

It would be three years later, 1947, that Smokey's catch phrase was introduced. 

“Remember, only you can prevent forest fires.” 

Forest Fires v. Wildfires

A presentation that caught on with the public, with the only subtle change to the message occurring in 2001. 

“The formal message changed to only you can prevent wildfires, and that was really done in recognition of how wildfires and fire events take place in sort of all kind of ecological conditions, not just tall standing forests that we think of,” Bramwell noted. 

Some are of an age to remember the living symbol of Smokey, a rescued New Mexico bear cub injured in a forest fire.  He resided at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., for almost three decades. 

“That's when Smokey's popularity really sort of took off a symbol you could visit and see with your own eyes. If you visited the National Zoo. And from there, Smokey became so popular and started receiving fan mail,” Bramwell said. 

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