Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires The Story of Smokey the Bear By Rebecca K. Fraker

This is the story of Smokey the Bear Who wants you to treat our forests with care. A forest is full of animals and trees. It’s also home to birds, fish, and bees. Smokey the Bear spends day and night Making sure the forest is really right!

Smokey works hard and he does not tire To make sure he prevents a forest wildfire. He tells his friends not to handle matches Because in a forest, fire quickly catches. So keep forests safe, so animals can roam. After all, the forest is their home!

Many years ago... In the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico, it had been a hot, dry year. It was May, but the pine needles, leaves, and sticks were so dry that they would crackle and crunch when they were walked on by the animals.

It was so hot... Deer and rabbits rested under the trees. Fish hid under the banks of the streams. Other animals moved slowly in the heat.

One day a person... Who was visiting the forest was careless. No one knows if a match was dropped, or a campfire was left burning, or a cigarette was not crushed out. But one little spark, caused by one person, escaped.

One little spark quickly became A huge wildfire. It quickly ignited the dry leaves and trees. It rapidly burned everything in the forest.

Animals, fish, and birds... Tried to escape the fire. Many could not get away. They died from the heat, smoke, and fire. Even fish choked on ash in the streams or from hot water.

Many firefighters... Fought for five days to put the wildfire out.

In the midst of the fire... A frightened baby bear cub obeyed his mother’s teaching, and climbed a tree. He clung to the tree through the heat, fire, and smoke.

When the fire was finally out... The firefighters found a frightened bear cub clinging to a burned tree. Some of the cub’s fur and his paws had been burned in the fire. The firefighters took care of the bear cub. They named him “Smokey”.

All over the country... People talked about Smokey. He grew into a big bear and became a living symbol of wildfire prevention.

Smokey eventually wore a Ranger’s hat in pictures. He educated people for many years, teaching them not to be careless with fire. His most famous phrase was: “Remember! Only YOU can prevent forest fires!”

Who Else Fights Fires? Through the years, there have been other characters, such as “Woodsie Owl” who have fought fires. This unit has a webquest designed to help you discover these characters.

Resources

The official Smokey the Bear site. Games, info, workbooks, and more. Poster Graphs to track wildfires Not just for young children; contains scientific real time data.

More Resources United States Fire Administration site Can become a Junior Fire Marshall with certificate teacher center a wealth of all things Smokey: gifts as well as teaching supplies and badges

Hot Foot Teddy: The True Story of Smokey Bear Hot Foot Teddy, the True Story of Smokey Bear by Sue Houser is the true story of a badly burned bear cub found at a forest fire in New Mexico. The book tells the life of Smokey and the program inspired by him. It contains posters and images provided by the National Forest Service. It is both a children's storybook and a teaching aid for adults and children and is a licensed product by the US Forest Service. The book can be purchased from the publisher's website: or telephone for $