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Eddie Garcia
July 20, 2019 06:53 PM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — 75 years ago, a heartbreaking image captured the imagination of Americans from coast to coast. 

A baby cub that was injured from a wildfire, a little burnt from a wildfire that took place on the Capitan Mountain range," said Manuel Martinez with the Cibola National Forest. 

The little New Mexico cub was named Smokey, and so began the persona that many of us know so well. 

The slogan is even more recognizable, but it has changed over the years. 

"Only you can prevent forest fires. Now that message has changed – only you can prevent wildfires," Martinez said. 

He said the original mission to stop every single forest fire actually ended up making forest fires worse over the years. 

"It's just led to lots more growth of fuels and fuel loading in our forests by putting those fires out and not letting them take their natural course," Martinez said. 

He said the U.S. Forest Service's modern approach allows some lightning-started fires to burn, which in turn, clean up dead and down forest debris. 

In fact, prescribed burns are made for the very same reason. Cleaner forest floors result in less catastrophic fires. 

Still, Smokey needs help. 

"People just need to be a little more diligent on where they go camp and how they build fires in the woods," Martinez said. "To make sure they put those fires out because those are the fires we don't want – human-caused fires." 

Getting kinda old for a bear, I'd say!

The game warden who had a part in Smokey's initial upbringing, and accompanied Smokey on his flight to the Washington D.C. Zoo, was Homer C. Pickens.

Homer went on to write a book on trapping called "Modern Techniques for Trapping Coyotes and Bobcats".

Smokey Bear died in 1976.

Homer died in 1995.

My Dad was in fire control and timber sales for the WDNR. I used to get to ride in fairs on the big unit and dozer, wearing a Smokey the Bear costume and throw candy to the kids. Mom still has stuffed Smokey's from his 50th birthday and memorabilia. Good memories, great mascot.

Here is a pic of Smokey Bear and trapping book author/ game warden Homer C. Pickens before the flight to Washington D.C.

I actually saw Smokey the other day. He was in the Seminole Forest here in Florida. The forest service had him there for a Marathon through the forest.

Worst thing to ever hapoen to forestry management. A healthy forest is a black forest. 100% fire suppression was probably the biggest man made disaster to the west.

yepper,plus i think he had somethin goin on with that Woodsy the Owl guy.give a hoot,don't pollute my butt.heard that owl that counts the licks for the tootsie pop people is an illigitimate child.

I always liked doing controlled burns. A great tool for fuel reduction and wildfire prevention.

If you work in the industry long enough you get to know Smokey Bear by his middle name.

True , and now the motto for contract wild land fire fighters is " black forest = Green wallets "

The??

X3 nvwrangler.
Years ago there was a controlled burn on the nf that borders my rez. The burn got out of control and quickly spread. The fire killed 1 of the forest fire fighters. His boots and helmet remain on the mountain on my rez. along with a cross that was placed at the location. The fire destroyed thousands of acres of great hunting on NF and 2 pueblos lands.

On my first day of work at the WV Division of Forestry I was told very harshly that he is Smokey Bear not Smokey the Bear. Just like it is not Santa the Clause or Easter the Bunny. I will never forget that lecture.