Forest service in the wildfire prevention campaign, which uses the slogan only you can prevent wildfires Changing conditions, a history of fire suppression, and other factors mean that fires are, unfortunately, only getting worse Learn about the history, origins, and messages of smokey bear, who was inspired by a real bear cub rescued from a wildfire in 1950.
Learn how smokey bear, the iconic symbol of fire prevention, has evolved with the forest service's approach to fire management
The problem | megafires it took 100 years to destroy the health of sierra forests, but with the right resources, we can restore our forests in mere decades
Thanks to smokey bear, a century of fire exclusion and the forced removal of indigenous forest stewards, california’s sierra forests are dangerously overgrown Now, trees are packed together at up to five times their natural density, and. Learn about the history and impact of smokey bear, the iconic symbol of wildfire prevention in the u.s Find archival collections, publications, photos, and more about the campaign and the bear.
Many might be surprised to learn that the original mantra of smokey bear was, “care will prevent 9 out of 10 forest fires”, which was changed to “only you can prevent forest fires” in 1947.