I'm not sure why I like Smokey so much. Perhaps because his only agenda is to save us from our own carelessness. He's done a pretty good job so far. 
I don't know.  

Before the following incident, Smokey was a cute cartoon bear. He first appeared in 1944, a product of the Wartime Advertising Council's campaign to conserve wood, a much needed commodity during W.W.II.  
Instantly popular, artist Albert Staehle's Smokey was a fuzzy bear figure with big, round eyes.   

In May, 1950, a forest fire, started by a careless camper, damaged around 17,000 acres in the Capitan Mountains in New Mexico.   
Brave fire-fighters found and rescued an orphaned American black bear cub, and named him 'Hot Foot Teddy'.    
Later, the cub's name was changed to Smokey, and he was sent to live the the National Zoo in Washington, DC.   

The personified Smokey was a hit! Children became Junior Forest Rangers, and Smokey toys and books  became very popular.   
In fact, Smokey was so popular that he rated his own zip code in Washington (20252)!   

Smokey Bear is possibly the single most successful public relations campaigns in the US.   

Even though today, over 10 times as many people visit the National Parks as did 50 years ago, forest fires are down tremendously. This is largely due to Smokey & his famous phrase:  
". . . only YOU can prevent forest fires."  

It is also due to the hard work & vigilance of the good people at the  

I was lucky to have seen the 'real' Smokey when he was alive &  have several pictures of him. A most handsome bear.   
He died in 1976.   
Smokey Bear Historical State Park was opened in 1976 in Capitan.    
The first Smokey was returned there for burial.   
He was replaced by two 'Smokey Juniors'. When the last Smokey died at the National Zoo in 1990, it was decided that he would be the last 'real' Smokey.    

I have an ever growing collection of Smokey memorabilia; including posters, books, stuffed animals, calendars, badges, & patches. My favourite? An original Ideal Toys stuffed Smokey Bear, made in 1952, complete with a certificate to join in the Junior Forest Ranger Program. I like it so much I keep it at the bank.    

Smokey & the Law. 
Did you know that it is illegal to impersonate Smokey? It is!   
16 USC 580p-4(a)states:  
"Whoever, except as provided by rules and regulations issued by the Secretary, manufactures, uses, or reproduces the character 'Smokey Bear' or the name 'Smokey Bear', or a facsimile or simulation of such character or name in such a manner as suggests 'Smokey Bear' may be enjoined from such manufacture,  
use, or reproduction at the suit of the Attorney General upon complaint by the Secretary."  

So, when LightHawk, the Environmental Air Force (an environmental group) portrayed Smokey with a chainsaw, with the caption "Say it ain't so, Smokey." to protest the Forest Service's forest management policies, they were asked to stop.   

In LightHawk, the Environmental Air Force v. Robertson, W.D. Wash. 1993, 812 F.Supp.1095, U.S.P.Q 2d 2014, the court decided that:  
"Statute and regulation relied upon by the United States  
Forest Service to prohibit environmental organization's use of caricature of Smokey Bear in advertisement criticizing Forest Service's forest management policies violated organization's use of chainsaw wielding caricature of Smokey Bear was unlikely to cause confusion to dilute the value of Smokey Bear to help prevent forest fires."  
The district court (p. 1103) concluded: "By ruling that 16 USC 580-4(a) and 36 CFR 271.3 are unconstitutional as applied to LightHawk, the Court by no means intends to create an open season on Smokey Bear. While the question is not before the  
Court the government can likely regulate commercial uses of Smokey Bear as allowed by USOC."  

So, while you still can't impersonate Smokey, his image can & has legally been used for non-commercial, free speech purposes (like this).  
  

Smokey Links 
Smokey's Official Homepage     
Visit Smokey's Home Page. Cool games, trivia, colouring pages, Smokey's e-mail & much more.  
USDA Forest Service These are the people that do the work to keep our National Parks beautiful & accessible. Cool, huh? 
Smokey's Canadian Home Eh?  
Lincoln County, New Mexico. Home of the 'real' Smokey.  
National Zoo. If you have frames, you can see a picture of Smokey!  
 

'Real' Bears 
American Bear Association 
Promoting the well-being of the black bear throughout North America  
The North American Bear Center 
The Bear Den 
Bears.org 
alt.animals.bears 
Bear TAG The American Zoo Association 
 

Smokey Shopping: 
Woodland Gifts Shirts, books, sheets, everything Smokey. Part of the profits go to help further the efforts of the     
Dewey Trading Post Smokey Bear Pendleton Blankets & other cool Merchandise.