Smokey the Bear

The real-life Smokey Bear emerged from the devastation of a huge forest fire in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest in 1950. Although badly burned, the rescued black bear cub was nursed back to health and adopted by the USDA Forest Service's Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) Program.

Smokey became the living symbol of the CFFP campaign to prevent fires caused by careless humans. The campaign was originally begun during WWII to protect the nation's valuable timber resources, which were vital to the war effort. Its first animal representative was Walt Disney's Bambi, but in 1944, the Forest Service decided to feature a bear in a campaign hat as its symbol. "Smokey Bear" debuted the following year and had already began to win the hearts and minds of the American public via billboards, print media, and radio by the time the real cub was introduced five year
later.

Smokey was moved to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. where he was a very popular attraction until his death in 1976. After his death, Smokey was returned to New Mexico and buried in Smokey Bear State Park near the town of Capitan. In addition to Smokey's gravesite, the park contains exhibits of Smokey memorabilia, a film documentary of the Smokey Bear phenomenon, historical displays on forest fire prevention and management, and a nature walk through native New Mexico plant species.

Over the years Smokey's campaign to reduce the incidence of wildfires caused by human carelessness has proven to be very successful. His message of "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" has become part of American popular culture.

In 1984, a U.S. postage stamp was issued honoring Smokey's contributions to the nation. The stamp featured a bear cub clinging to a tree superimposed over the official Smokey Bear emblem. It was the first U.S. postage stamp honoring an individual animal.

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