34
SMOKEY CUB, FIRE: COURTESY OF THE FOREST HISTORY SOCIETY1950
Theyearabadly
burnedbearcubis
foundinatreeafter
afireinNewMexico.
Afterbeingtreated
bySanteFevetEd
Smith(left),thecub
isnamedSmokeyand
latergivenahomeat
theNationalZooin
Washington,D.C.3 MILLION
Total acres of
private and public
land destroyed by
the Great Fire of 1910,
one of the largest in
American history. It
burned through whole
sections of Montana,
Washington and
Idaho, and killed
85 people.20252
The exclusive ZIP code
the post office gave
to Smokey Bear in
1964 because he was
getting more than
13,000 fan letters a
week. You can still
write to Smokey at
Washington, DC,
20252.
1952
Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins write a song about
Smokey and give him a middle name—“the”—to
match the melody’s rhythm:
“Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear.
Prowlin’ and a growlin’ and a sniffin’ the air.
He can find a fire before it starts to flame.
That’s why they call him Smokey,
that was how he got his name.”1947
SmokeyBear’s“OnlyYOUCanPreventForestFires!”
becomesafamiliarslogan.300
Weight in pounds of
an average American
black bear, the same
species as Smokey.
90
Percentage of
wildfires attributable
to human error.45
AgeofartistAlbert
Staehlewhenhe
paintedthefirst
posterofSmokeyBear.
Staehlewasapopular
Americanillustrator
whoalsocreated
25 coversforThe
SaturdayEvening
Postfeaturing cocker
spaniels, including his
own dog, Butch.SMOKEY BEAR
BY THE NUMBERS