Forest Smokey Fires Prevent U.S Bear Appeared Service

Smokey the Bear, sometimes called just Smokey Bear, is a symbol of fire prevention and a "mascot" (an animal or character representing a school or institution) of the U.S. Forest Service. Smokey first appeared in 1944 and appeared on many posters and promotional materials designed to prevent "forest fires" (uncontrolled fires burning through wild areas with many trees). His "slogan" (a phrase associated with a company or concept) is "Only you can prevent forest fires."

The U.S. Forest Service used images of Smokey in many campaigns, but especially to teach children about how to keep forests safe and prevent forest fires. For example, "rangers" (people who work in forests and state or national parks, interacting with visitors) would use Smokey to teach "campers" (people who spend the night outdoors, usually in a tent) how to "put out" (extinguish; stop from burning) a campfire by "dousing it" (pouring water over it) or by using a "shovel" (a tool used for digging) to "smother it" (prevent air from reaching something) with dirt.

In recent years, the U.S. Forest Service has "de-emphasized" (reduced the focus on) Smokey, because our understanding of the "role" (what something does) of fires in forest ecosystems has changed. In the past, people thought that forest fires were always bad, but now forest scientists understand that fires help to minimize the "spread" (expansion) of disease and maintain "biodiversity" (a measure of the number of species and the number of individuals within each species). So Smokey is still used to talk about the importance of preventing "unintended" (accidental) fires, but Smokey no longer wants to prevent forest fires with "natural causes" (such as lightening) unless they "endanger" (put in danger) lives or property.