During World War II, the cause of preventing wild fires became a patriotic one, and the U.S. Forest Service joined the National Advertising Council to developing promotional materials to encourage fire awareness.
In August of 1944, a smiling Smokey Bear wearing a ranger hat was introduced to the world as a symbol for fire prevention.
Later, a real life black bear was found or phaned following a forest fire in New Mexico, quickly given the name Smokey and the legend of the ani-fire bruin was created.
To all the parks or forest I see Smokey the bear standing there with a sign.
