At 80, Smokey Bear's message is timeless

In locales across the country, Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday is being celebrated at events to commemorate his beginning Aug. 9, 2024.

In Libby, two events were held last week. Smokey appeared at the Kootenai National Forest office Friday, Aug. 9 and at the Heritage Museum Saturday, Aug. 10.

The birthday celebration began New Year’s Day as Smokey appeared in the Tournament of Roses Parade at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Friday, young and older folks met the country’s most famous bear, had their picture taken with him while enjoying cold treats and souvenirs associated with the occasion.

His story is not a new one, but it bears repeating.

According to smokeybear.com, Smokey’s origins began in the early days of the United States’ involvement in World War II. In the spring of 1942, Japanese submarines surfaced near the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and fired shells that exploded on an oil field, near the Los Padres National Forest.

Because experienced firefighters were deployed overseas, communities dealt with wildfires any way they could. Out of the necessity for more care with fire, the idea to urge people to be more careful was born.

At the same time, Walt Disney’s motion picture, “Bambi” played across the country. Disney allowed the Forest Service’s Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention program to use the film’s characters in a 1944 poster.

But the use of the animals was for just one year and Forest Service officials wanted to have a symbol of their own.

A bear was chosen and the birth of Smokey occurred Aug. 9, 1944, after authorization by the Forest Service.

Smokey’s original catch phrase was, “Smokey Says - Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires.” In 1947, the phrase became “Remember… Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires.” 

In 2001, the phrase was changed to the current version, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" in response to a massive outbreak of wildfires in natural areas other than forests. The new phrase also meant to clarify that Smokey promotes the prevention of unwanted and unplanned outdoor fires versus prescribed fires.

But it was an event in 1950, a wildfire in New Mexico, that elevated Smokey’s status to a national level.

According to information from the Forest Service, a black bear cub orphaned in the fire was taken home by a firefighter. He made sure the little bruin got the medical care it needed before offering the cub to the Forest Service with the condition that the bear be dedicated to conservation.

The Forest Service accepted both the cub and the condition, and the newly christened Smokey Bear lived out the rest of his days at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, a living embodiment of the importance of wildfire prevention. 

The first Smokey died at the zoo in 1976. He was returned to his home and buried at the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, New Mexico.

Nevertheless, Smokey's message of being careful with fire is as appropriate now as it was then.

    Drake Higareda helped Smokey Bear celebrate his 80th birthday Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, at Kootenai National Forest headquarters in Libby. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)