Smokey Through the Years

Smokey's first appearance on a Forest Fire Prevention campaign poster, including his famous blue jeans and hat.

Various Smokey Bear memorabilia (toys, patches, pins, and more) featured in the National Agricultural Library, in Beltsville, Maryland.

Wendelin, Rudy. 1987. “Protect Our Resources.” Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library.

Smokey the Bear - Nature Stories Book

(Source: National Archives)

"Smokey Bear's Story of the Forest: Smokey Bear presents a story book of the forest, trees and animals" was a publication produced by the USDA Forest Service in 1957 aimed at an elementary school audience. Illustrated by Forest Service artist Harry Rossoll, it taught children about the plants and animals in the forest and the effects of forest fires on their lives and homes. (Source: Smithsonian Institution Archives)

Smokey's 80th Birthday, 1980s

Decades - TV/Online Video

”Smokey the Bear” by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins - Radio

In 1952 Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins wrote the popular anthem that would launch a continuous debate about Smokeyʼs name. To maintain the rhythm of the song, they added “theˮ between “Smokeyˮ and “Bear.ˮ Due to the songʼs popularity, Smokey Bear has been called “Smokey the Bearˮ by many adoring fans, but, in actuality, his name never changed. Heʼs still Smokey Bear.

Smokey Bear first appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1966.

Smokey’s first digitized videos and artwork, created by Brian Edward Miller, Evan Hecox, Janna Mattia and Victoria Ying, portraying Smokey Bear in each of their unique styles.

Smokey Bear joins in panda-monium! This 1972 painting by Rudy Wendelin commemorates the arrival of the National Zoo’s first pandas. 

Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 365, Image No. SIA2012-6127

Bing Crosby (singer/actor) - Radio

Smokey Bear sign at the Capitan Forest in New Mexico, where a baby cub who became the living symbol of Smokey Bear was rescued. 

Unknown. “Smokey at Capitan Forest .” Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library.

Bambi

Unknown. 1982. “Walt Disney's Bambi: "Only you can prevent forest fires. We can't." Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library.

This 1961 children’s book written by S. Quentin Hyatt and illustrated by Mel Crawford helped spread Smokey Bear’s wildfire safety message to kids nationwide

Vintage Smokey Bear Board Game (1968, Milton Bradley) — A colorful, family-friendly game where players race to Smokey’s tower while learning to avoid fire hazards, promoting wildfire prevention through play.

This 1956 Smokey Bear ruler reminded kids daily: “Be Careful with Matches.” Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 326, Box 83, Folder 1

Smokey’s famous wildfire prevention catchphrase first appears

You’re Among Friends - TV

Decades - Radio/Online Radio

Smokey's 80th Birthday, 1950s

Smokey's 80th Birthday, 1970s

Smokey is Within - Campfire

Smokey is Within - Hot Coals

Smokey is Within, Campfire - Radio/Online Radio

Smokey is Within, Avoid Sparks - Radio/Online Radio

Smokey is Within, Geared Up Granny - TV/Online Video

Smokey is Within, Friends - TV/Online Video

Junior Forest Ranger Handbook

Smokey Bear's first mobile app, Smokey’s Scouts, launched in 2011, offering campfire safety tips, wildfire maps, and classic Smokey wallpapers. The app was created in partnership with students from Columbus College of Art & Design, the Mid-Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact (MAIFFPC) and the USDA Forest Service.

Bambi - TV

In 2019, the newly designed Smokey Bear balloon returned to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to celebrate his 75th birthday.

Smokey Bear on Jeopardy!

On his 75th birthday, Smokey Bear got his own Jeopardy! category—hosted by the legendary Alex Trebek.

Smokey Bear Trading Card

Smokey Bear and the San Francisco 49ers (including legendary quarterback Joe Montana) on a trading card.

Smokey got the Funko Pop! treatment in 2020—complete with shovel, bucket, and signature hat.

Only You - TV

Ghost Flames

Badges

9 out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans - Bus Shelter

Only You - Billboard

Get Your Smokey On - Magazine Ad

Only (Your Name Here) Can Prevent Forest Fires

The most dangerous animals in the forest don’t live there

Unfortunately, They Can’t Run For Their Lives

60th Anniversary - Shovel

Be Careful

Think Before You Strike

The Only Fire Insurance This Home Has Is You

Ranger & Deer - Radio (feat. Patrick Warburton & Estelle Costanza)

Our family…depends on your family

Smokey’s 50th Anniversary

Smokey’s 50th Birthday with Snoopy

Think Think Thanks

Remember, You’re Among Friends

Reasoning - Radio

City Tree - TV

Think before you strike

Happy 40th Birthday - TV

Man Discovered Fire - TV

Wildfire - Over 2 million… - TV

We Know We Can Count on You - TV

Every Second of Every Minute of Every Day - TV

Smokey Bear Bookmark

Force of Habit - TV

Birthday Children - Radio

Birthday Candles - Radio

Hello - TV

Cigarette Butt - TV

Bluegrass - Radio

Ted Nugent (musician) - Radio

Animal Faces - TV

Binoculars

Barbara Mandrell (musician) - Radio

We've Always Wondered… - TV

Do Trees Think? - TV

Being Careless with Fire… - TV

Spock (Star Trek character) - Radio

Happy Birthday Animals - Radio

The Grateful Dead (band) - Radio

B.B. King (musician) - Radio

Cheech and Chong (comedians) - Radio

Close the Book on Forest Fires

Make Smokey’s Birthday Wish Come True

Only You

Smokey Bear in transit—his wildfire prevention message appeared in subway and bus ads as early as 1949.

Betty White, a longtime advocate for environmental causes, voiced a 2019 PSA honoring Smokey Bear’s 75th birthday.

In 1942, the USDA Forest Service, Ad Council, and state foresters formed the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) program—a groundbreaking partnership that used advertising to educate Americans about wildfire prevention.

FCB Partnership

The USDA Forest Service and FCB began their partnership in 1944—making it one of the longest-running pro-bono, public service advertisement collaborations in history.

Smokey Bear first joins social media on Facebook

Rudy Wendelin, a USDA Forest Service illustrator, became Smokey Bear’s lead artist in 1944, shaping the bear’s iconic look for nearly 30 years. View the Rudy Wendelin Gallery online. 

Fan mail flooded in—so much that Smokey Bear earned ZIP Code 20252, all to himself.

Smokey and Goldie formed a furry family in the ’60s, raising an adopted bear cub known as “Little Smokey.”

Burning Match - TV

Causes - TV

Happy Birthday - Radio

It’s a grand old forest, too!

Ray Charles (musician) - Radio

America the Ugly - Radio

The Forest Is Still Here - TV

Smokey Works Hard… - TV

Great Americans - TV

The Chipmunks (band) - Radio

President Stickers

If not you, who?

Rita Racoon - TV

Dummy - TV

Because of You - TV

Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires - TV

Thanks for Listening

Think

Matchbook - TV

Thanks from all of us - TV

If you knew it was me… - TV

Jonathan Winters (comedian/actor) - TV

Babes in the Woods - TV

Burning Drawing - TV

Burning Picture - TV

Wrist Watch - TV

Smokey’s Friends Don’t Play With Matches

Register & Complaint - Radio

Slow Burn - TV

The Deadliest Animal - TV

Bomb in the Forest - TV

Rod Serling (screenwriter/tv producer) - TV

Kukla and Ollie (children’s puppet show) - TV

Smokey’s first television appearance

ABCs

Thanks Folks

ABCs Teddy

The Smokey Bear Story

I Promise Not to Play With Matches / Prevent Forest Fires

Smokey Bear 20th Anniversary

Broderick Crawford (actor) - Radio

Why? / Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires!

Barbara Stanwyck (actress/dancer) - Radio

Why?

The True Story of Smokey Bear - Book

Only you can Prevent Woods Fires!

President Eisenhower hands the first Smokey Bear Award to Judy Bell

Pledge Your Help

One careless match…Yours?

Please… help people be more careful!

Promise You Will Be Careful

Promise You Will Help

Smokey Says

Roy Rogers (singer/actor) - Radio

You can stop this shameful waste!

Ladies Home Journal

Campaign to Prevent Forest, Woods, and Range Fires

Hold ‘til it’s cold…

Please folks, be extra careful this year!

The Smokey Bear Show

In 1969, Smokey hit the small screen with his own animated series on ABC.

Smokey in Space

In 2012, Smokey Bear became the first PSA icon in orbit, traveling with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba.

Art Linkletter (radio personality) - Radio

Before Smokey: Early Forest Fire Prevention Campaign posters from the USDA Forest Service (including an appearance from Bambi)