On August 9, the United States celebrates a day with the somewhat unusual name — Smoky Day, the so-called Smokey Bear Day. This is Forest Fire Protection Day.
Smoky — is a cute bear cub that warns of the dangers of forest fires, a symbol of the US Forest Service. In the TV shows of the « series Protect the forest from fire», the bear cub is depicted in a hat and jeans and utters the phrase: «Only you can prevent forest fires» (Only you can prevent forest fires).
The Forestry Service, a massive campaign in American history, was created in 1905 and is a department of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Forestry Service oversees public lands in forests and areas of pasture and grassland that cover an area of 193 million acres.
The history of 1950 served as a living personification and symbol of the organization. So one fine spring day in the mountains of New Mexico, smoke was noticed from a fire tower rising in clouds from the forest. A strong wind fluttered the fire quickly. Everyone who could was involved in extinguishing the fire, from security to local residents.
Suddenly firefighters saw a little bear cub. They decided to leave him alone, as they believed that the mother bear would come for him.
A few hours later the fire was extinguished. Local residents and firefighters again found the bear cub alone. He hid in a wide hollow tree. His paws were bleeding from burns.
This story soon became known to the press. People wrote letters to the Department to find out how the bear cub was feeling. He was soon transferred to the National Zoo in Washington. This is how it became a living symbol of the National Society for the Protection of Nature from Fire.