The most famous national park bear of all time is Smokey Bear, who helps to keep the woodlands safe here in the Smoky Mountains! The iconic fictional bear was created back in 1944 as part of a public service campaign and his slogan has changed several times over the years, but his message remains the same – it is ultimately up to us to prevent wildfires! Here are 5 interesting things to know about the history of Smokey Bear:
1. Beginnings of the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign
The Smoky Bear Wildlife Prevention Campaign began in 1944 and is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in the history of the USA! Smokey Bear was created to educate the public about the dangers of unplanned human-caused wildfires and quickly became one of the world’s most recognizable characters! Despite the campaign’s success, wildfire prevention remains one of the most critical issues affecting our country as evidenced by the deadly fire that swept through parts of Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016!
2. Walt Disney’s Impact on the Creation of Smokey Bear
While Walt Disney was not responsible for the creation of Smokey Bear, his 1942 animated hit “Bambi” helped play a significant role! Disney allowed the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) program, which was organized by the Forest Service, to use the film’s characters on a 1944 poster. The “Bambi” poster was popular and proved the success of using an animal as a fire prevention symbol. However, Disney had only loaned the characters to the campaign for one year so the CFFP needed to find their own animal symbol – Smokey Bear was born!
3. Protection of Smokey Bear’s Image
After his introduction, Smokey Bear quickly became a part of American pop culture and the character would appear in comic strips, cartoons, merchandise, and more! Smokey had gained so much commercial interest by 1952 that U.S. Congress passed the Smokey Bear Act to protect the character from the public domain. His images are now only administered through the USDA Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Ad Council.
4. Various Slogans Over the Years
Another one of the interesting things to know about the history of Smokey Bear is the various slogans that have been associated with the character over the years! The original slogan in 1944 was “Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires”, which was changed to “Remember… Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires” in 1947. This slogan lasted for more than 5 decades until it was officially updated to “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” in April of 2001!
5. Living Symbol of Smokey Bear
The living symbol of Smokey Bear was a 5-pound, 3-month-old American black bear cub who was found in the spring of 1950 after a wildfire that burned in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico. He lived in the National Zoo in Washington D.C. for 26 years, where he received millions of visitors and thousands of letters – so many that the U.S. Postal Service gave him his own zip code (which is still in use)! Today, his remains are buried at Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, New Mexico which is operated by the New Mexico State Forestry Division.
Fire Safety in the Smoky Mountains
Remember that the safety and preservation of animal and plant life in the Smoky Mountains is in our hands, so it’s important to practice fire safety (and keep Smokey Bear happy) at all times!
If you’re camping in the park, use only certified heat-treated firewood that is packed and clearly marked with a state or federal seal. Fires are only allowed at designated campsites and shelters, and they must be contained within a fire ring. For those enjoying a picnic, clean the area when finished as there is less debris to burn in case of a fire. If you are a smoker, please do so with safety and mind. Note that smoking is prohibited within backcountry areas, at indoor sites, and in parked cars within the national park!
Now that you know about the interesting history of Smokey Bear, learn about his real-life counterparts and discover 6 facts you should know about black bears in the Smoky Mountains!
