1978: NOAA announces gender-neutral hurricane naming system
Federal News Network presents a daily update of important moments in the history of the U.S. government.
The U.S. Forest Service’s iconic mascot, Smokey Bear — technically the “the” was added when songwriters wrote a jingle for him — was created 75 years ago today for joint effort between the Agriculture Department of the Ad Council to promote forest fire prevention. Artist Albert Staehle painted the first poster of Smokey Bear, which depicted a bear pouring a bucket of water on a campfire and saying “Care will prevent 9 out of 10 fires.” Smokey Bear soon became very popular as his image appeared on a variety of forest fire prevention materials. In 1947, his slogan became the familiar “Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires!” Then in the spring of 1950, in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico, a young bear cub found himself caught in a burning forest. He took refuge in a tree, and while managing to stay alive was left badly burned. The firefighters who retrieved him were so moved by his bravery, they named him Smokey. News about this real bear named Smokey spread across the Nation, and he was soon given a new home at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The living symbol of Smokey Bear, he played an important role in spreading messages of wildfire prevention and forest conservation until his death in 1976. He was buried at State Historical Park in his original home of Capitan.
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