It’s time we
give an overdue nod of gratitude to that venerable bruin of fire
prevention: Smokey Bear, who just turned 63 this August.
At a time when bears are being tranquilized and relocated all over
the West for Dumpster-diving and campsite pantry raids, Smokey
remains the only honorable bear role model. You won’t find
him sorting through trash cans. He doesn’t have to. At 63, he
can collect social security and bask in the admiration he deserves.
It was during World War II, on Aug. 9, 1944, that Smokey
first graced government-issued posters. Fire prevention was a big
worry at the time, and since most able-bodied men were working
toward the war effort, the number of personnel devoted to
firefighting was significantly limited. Enter the Advertising
Council, a partially government-funded nonprofit advertising group,
known mostly nowadays for its annoying messages reminding you not
to beat your wife and kids.
But back in the 1940s, the Ad
Council brilliantly came up with the strong, silent, outdoor cool
character of Smokey Bear, who even to this day remains a powerful
communicator. He also compares favorably to other Ad Council
mascots, such as those clueless crash-test dummies, and that creepy
McGruff the Crime Dog, with his raspy voice and trench coat.
Smokey reigns supreme as the Ad Council’s most
memorable achievement. When rural Western television stations
can’t find late-night advertisers, they run strings of
depressing PSAs, (public service announcements) full of drug
addicts, drunk drivers and abusive parents. So when Smokey Bear
appears on screen, strong, powerful and cuddly at the same time, we
pay attention to his message of personal responsibility: “Only YOU
can prevent forest fires.”
For some reason, Smokey Bear
and his message work. It’s not your typical tax-dollar
wasting, politically correct, nanny-state PSA . He actually makes
us WANT to prevent forest fires. We become careful with our hunting
cigar, and we douse and shovel our campfire to the point where you
couldn’t relight that pit with a tank of gas and a blowtorch.
After all, we don’t want to let Smokey down.
Unfortunately, lightning doesn’t strike twice. A 1970s
attempt to give Smokey a partner, Woodsy Owl, didn’t go over
well. I should know. I played Woodsy in a Memorial Day parade in
Granby, Colo.
You remember Woodsy, don’t you? He
was short and overweight, with eyeballs the size of hubcaps. He
wore green trousers and the type of pointy green hat that only
looks good on Robin Hood.
My dad, who worked for the
Forest Service, had the height and stature to wear the Smokey Bear
costume on the float. I got the bulky costume of Woodsy, which,
when standing next to my decked-out father, made me look like
Smokey’s dorky little friend. A strong, tall and proud black
bear like Smokey is cool. He wears jeans and a stylish flat-brimmed
hat, and carries a mean-looking metal shovel. The girls all like
him and the boys respect him. It may also help that he never says a
word – not ever – no matter how environmentalists and
other critics provoke him. Woodsy Owl, on the other hand, with his
“Give a hoot, don’t pollute” line, gets beaten up on the
school playground.
But that is to be expected. Nobody can
compare to Smokey. He’s been officially recognized by an act
of Congress. He has his own action figure and even his own ZIP
code. He’s had a radio show, postage stamp and has been in
several movies. All of this celebrity, and not once has he ever had
to shade his mug in front of paparazzi as he lumbers off to rehab.
Yes, there are other famous bruins out there, but to Yogi Bear
fans, I ask the obvious: Who would you take in a fight?
Smokey’s even smart enough to admit mistakes – a rare
event for any public figure – as when he finally realized
that fires are important for the health of our public lands. His
early messages promoted complete fire suppression, a policy that we
now know does nothing but allow the buildup of fuel, which in turn
makes the inevitable blowups more devastating. These days, Smokey
recognizes that forest fires often take on the role of
“Nature’s Housekeeper.”
So I hope you’ll join
me in celebrating the birthday of this enduring and endearing
American icon. Happy 63rd birthday, Smokey Bear. We’ll sing
“Happy Birthday” to you, but we decided to skip the 63 burning
candles. We’re sure you’ll understand.
Steve Beauregard is a contributor to Writers on
the Range, a service of High Country News (hcn.org). He is a
columnist for the Free Press in Grand Junction,
Colorado.
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