Smokey Bear turns 80 years old today, Friday, Aug. 9.
In honor of his eight decades of telling Americans about the importance of fire safety, read on for eight fun facts about one of America’s most beloved mascots.
His message of fire prevention in the great outdoors is just as important as it was 80 years ago, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
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Here’s what to know.
Smokey Bear had some big shoes (make that hooves) to fill when he was introduced by the U.S. Forest Service in 1944.
Prior to Smokey’s introduction, an animated deer was the star of the Forest Service’s fire prevention campaign: Bambi.
Walt Disney “lent us Bambi,” Robert Westover, spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, told Fox News Digital in an interview.
“Bambi was the [fire prevention] image for the first year, but Walt basically said, ‘Yeah, you guys need to kind of come up with your own image,'” Westover said.
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Smokey Bear was devised shortly after and officially authorized by the U.S. Forest Service on Aug. 9, 1944.
Smokey Bear’s name is just that: Smokey Bear, Westover noted. He is not “Smokey the Bear.”
“It’s a common misnomer,” Westover said.
This is partially the fault of folk singer Eddy Arnold, apparently, whose 1955 song was titled “Smokey the Bear.”
“He sings ‘Smokey the Bear’ because he thought it sounded more rhythmically appropriate,” Westover said.
“So that’s sort of stuck in the national consciousness, but it is actually ‘Smokey Bear.'”
In the 1940s amid World War II, there was considerable concern that America’s forests were at risk due to enemy attack, Westover told Fox News Digital.
“Our forests are very important resources,” he said. “And so there was a real effort [as well] that we, as citizens of the United States, did not burn down our own forest.”
Smokey Bear as a concept came around shortly thereafter.
While Smokey Bear today is most commonly seen in picture form — or as a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — there was, at one point, a real-life bear that was known as “Smokey Bear.”
The living Smokey Bear, Westover said, was an orphaned bear cub from New Mexico that was badly burned in a fire.
“He became the living image, if you will, [the] embodiment of Smokey Bear,” he said.
Smokey Bear lived out the remainder of his days at the National Zoo as “the most popular exhibit the National Zoo has ever had, to this day.”
Smokey Bear’s popularity extends far beyond the National Zoo.
Surveys have shown that an impressive majority of adults are familiar with Smokey Bear and his messages about promoting fire safety and wildfire prevention.
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The Ad Council, which helps to manage Smokey Bear’s image, reported in 2019 that 96% of American adults recognized Smokey Bear’s catchphrase.
“He’s really popular, and he’s a great ambassador for wildfire prevention,” Westover said. “He’s sort of a gateway bear, if you will, to get folks interested in our amazing, great outdoors.”
Today, Smokey Bear’s message is “Only You Can Prevent Wildfire.”
But, that wasn’t always the line; he’s actually only been saying that exact phrase since 2001.
From 1947 until April 2001, Smokey Bear’s message was “Remember… Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.”
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And before that, there was the slightly more verbose “Smokey Says Care Will Prevent 9 Out of 10 Forest Fires.”
Smokey Bear’s message changed, Westover said, because not all fires are necessarily bad.
“Some natural fire is good, and some man-made fire is bad,” he said. “And especially what I like to refer to as ‘stupid fire,’ when we go out and we’re careless in the forest.”
Smokey Bear’s message of preventing wildfire is still one that is needed today, Westover said.
“Smokey’s message has always been about your responsibility,” he said, such as making sure a campfire is fully extinguished before leaving a campsite, avoiding smoking in the forest and even keeping chains on a vehicle trailer secured.
“Sparks (from the chains dragging) can cause forest fires and grass fires,” Westover said.
“Almost 90% of all fires are started by people,” he said. “So it’s very important to keep that in mind when you’re out there enjoying our great outdoors. It’s our responsibility, all of our responsibility, to keep these beautiful wild lands for the next generation.”
The success of Smokey Bear resulted in the adoption of new fire safety characters in other countries and municipalities.
In Alberta, Canada, “Bertie Beaver” serves as the Alberta Forest Service’s symbol of fire prevention, the Alberta government’s website noted.
Canada is also home to “Ember, the FireSmart Fox,” which “teaches Canadians how to apply FireSmart principles to their homes and properties so they can be more resilient against the threat of wildfire,” according to the website for FireSmart Canada, a national program.
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In England, “Welephant” taught children fire safety in the 1980s.
He is now the symbol of the Children’s Burns Trust, a charity that provides care for children who have been burned or scalded, its website notes.
Smokey “has been imitated throughout the world,” Westover said. “The greatest form of flattery is, of course, imitation.”
“And, it’s just amazing to see different countries come up with their different versions of Smokey and, yes, it’s pretty exciting to think that it does have the kind of impact over 80 years.”
