Today is my 67th birthday, and my birthday wish is the same as it has been for the past 67 years -- to end human-caused wildfires.
I made my debut on a 1944 wildfire prevention poster. It shows me wearing my dungarees and my now famous Smokey Bear hat while pouring water on an unattended campfire. Since 1944, my message has always been about being careful when you use fire.
And that message still holds true. Today, nearly 9 out of 10 wildfires nationwide are caused by people. That means 9 out of 10 wildfires can be prevented.
Since I first appeared, many people have helped me reduce the number of acres burned by wildfires from about 22 million in 1944 to an average of 6.5 million today, but my work isn't done yet.
I still need your help.
That's why you should be extra careful whenever you use fire. Be sure that your campfires are out cold when you leave them. Don't burn on windy days and always check about local burning regulations. Put used charcoal briquettes into a metal canister -- don't dump them into dry grass. Be sure your motorized equipment has working spark arrestors. Be careful when parking a vehicle in a grassy area -- the hot exhaust system can set the grass on fire. Remind your friends and family to be careful and teach youngsters about me and my wildfire prevention rules.
When you choose to join the Wildfire Prevention movement, you're not alone. I've got lots of friends on Facebook and Twitter who are also helping to take action and spread the word. I have videos on YouTube and I can even travel around with you in your pocket when you download my new mobile app. I'll do whatever it takes to prevent wildfires. But I can't do it alone. Please help my birthday wish come true.
Remember, only you can prevent wildfires.
Follow Smokey Bear on Twitter: www.twitter.com/smokey_bear
And he can TYPE!!??!!
BTW, whatever happened to your brother, Tokey the Bear? He and I were such good buds in the late 70's, and then he just sorta' drifted off. Say hi to him for me if you see him.
Were you to be born today, and undertake a public campaign to prevent forest fires, you'd be shocked at how instantly you'd be politicized.
Folks would be on AM radio and Fox News discounting scientific evidence about forestry and fire prevention, and "human-caused fires."
Beck, Hannity, Ingraham, Coulter, Krautheimer and the rest would all be bashing you as a socialist, probably born abroad and not really an American bear, possibly even a Muslim bear, schooled in un-American and violent "fire prevention propaganda techniques" by Saul Alinsky, seeking to impose fascist government control over the American people's freedom to use forests any way they choose.
And the fact that you constantly refer to yourself as a "bear" and parade that half-naked hirsute body by always appearing in public shirtless, dressed only in Levis and boots, wearing some obvious "authority figure" headwear (a rangers hat!!!), that all attests to your true Homosexual Agenda. Rick Santorum would be the first to point that out for everyone.
He'd go set fire to the Allegheny National Forest just to prove that fire doesn't cause forest fires.
Things would probably be even worse for that tearful old Native American in the "Keep America Beautiful" campaign, were he to starting out today.
You da bear!