The “Only You Can Prevent
Forest Fires” (Wild Fires These Days And Not Controlled Burns) Guy, Well Bear,
Smokey Turns 75 This Year
A link to an NPR Morning
Edition segment giving the “skinny” on legendary forest fire fighter Smokey
the Bear who turns 75 years old this year complete with the Smokey the Bear
song sung by, I believe, Gene Autry.
By Allan Jackson
Getting old mostly sucks,
okay. But being able to recollect the now big number anniversaries of various
events and people, to say you were present at the creation or close to it takes
a small, very small sting out of that opening sentence. Especially when it
involves some pleasant memories from a freaking downtrodden childhood.
Being able to give a cheer
for one Smokey the Bear, king hell king of the forest fire fighters when they
were not as driven by climate change and less out of control, mostly, is such a
moment. I was all over Smokey whenever my family would have an outing in the
woods and used a campfire set-up or open grill and made sure we had put out the
fires with plenty of water.
The most vivid recollection
though was, and I am not sure we had to pay for the item or not, was when I sent
away to the National Forest Service for my very own Smokey the Bear belt buckle.
I was in very heaven. I am not sure that I knew all the words to the Smokey the
Bear song but it was good to hear it as the NPR segment fades out.
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