Happy Birthday Smokey Bear!

Highlighting the importance of wildfire prevention across New Hampshire, Gov. Sununu has proclaimed Aug. 4-10, 2024 as “Smokey Bear Week,” in the Granite State coinciding with Smokey’s 80th birthday today, Aug. 9, 2024. Events and programs are taking place statewide to help celebrate Smokey’s milestone birthday and to continue sharing his well-known message that “Only you can prevent wildfires.”

Smokey has his own website where you can learn about fire prevention and being outdoors. Among the activities is The Forest Services’ “Smokey’s Reading Challenge” which provides a reading list of books for all ages that address not only wildfire prevention but also science and outdoor recreation. The list, along with activities and incentives for achieving self-set reading goals, can be downloaded from smokeybear.com/individuals-reading-challenge. The national program runs through Nov. 28.

The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands also has information (and coloring pages!) about wildfire prevention on their website.

Several New Hampshire libraries are also incorporating Smokey into this year’s national Collaborative Summer Reading Program theme, “Adventure Begins at Your Library” by creating displays of books and other materials related to wildfire prevention and by hosting Smokey Bear with N.H. Forest Rangers serving as guest readers. 

 “Only you can prevent wildfires.” --Smokey Bear

Created in 1944, the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history. His popularity continues to endure across generations and his important messaging remains as timely today as it was when it was developed 80 years ago.