Smokey's Helper

An illustration of Smokey the bear holding a stick in his right hand with a bird on it. Black text sits above Smokey. An illustration of trees and a mountain serve as the background image.  

Smokey the Bear was first introduced in 1944 as a cartoon to advertise the dangers of forest fires. The first slogan used by Smokey the Bear was “Smokey Says—Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires.” The most famous and recognizable slogan “Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires” was introduced in 1947. Smokey the Bear was created by the art critic Harold Rosenberg and is used by the United States Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Ad Council. With men away at war there was a lack of able-bodied men to fight fires. The campaign was created in the hopes that in educating communities about the dangers of forest fires they would be prevented.