Smokey Bear Turns 70 But California Wildfires Are Just Getting Worse
By Scott Pham ••
This Saturday, Smokey Bear turns 70 years-old. His long career urging America to prevent forest fires is well-regarded, but it's hard to feel too good about it here in California.
In California and the Western United States in general, forest fires just get worse and worse. A new study that we noticed from Vox.com shows that wildfires in the western United States have been growing at a rate of 90,000 acres per year between 1984 and 2011.
However, it's not Smokey's fault and you probably can't blame careless campers either. Vox explains that climate change is the likely culprit:
...wildfire increases out West seemed to be particularly associated with increases in the occurrence of drought, which is becoming more common in many of the regions studied.
This year, drought is the obvious problem. It means hot, dry conditions and leaves large portions of land vulnerable to big blazes. A New York Times article in May noted that this also means fire season comes early and lasts longer. Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection told the Times:
“It is really unprecedented to have these conditions this early. We cannot remember a year where we have had this many fires this early. And everything is just going to get drier and hotter — even more of a tinderbox.”
All these fires are costly, too. In 1944, when Smokey Bear was first released to the public, wildfires caused some $1.4 million in damage. Now, the five-year average (as of 2011) is more than $100 million:
AP
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger poses for a photograph with Smokey the Bear after the U.S. Forest Service named him their third honorary Forest Ranger for his leadership on climate change during a ceremony at the Department of Agriculture.in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013.
Getty Images
A Smokey the Bear sigb is posted along US highway 120 as the Rim Fire burns out of control on August 21, 2013 in Groveland, California.
Getty Images
Smokey the bear cub is flown from Santa Fe, New Mexico to his new home at the Washington National Zoo in a Piper J-3 Cub, by New Mexico's Assistant State Game Warden Homer C. Pickens, 1950.
AP
The living Smokey the Bear symbol of forest fire prevention, died during the night in his National Zoo home in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Forest service announced on Nov. 9, 1976.
NBC via Getty Images
Smokey the Bear balloon.
AP/USDA
This poster from the U.S. Agriculture Dept. web site shows Smokey Bear in a 1960s-era poster. The AD Council has launched a new campaign to revise Smokey's message to reflect the severity of wildfires and the change in fire management policy.
Getty Images
Smokey the Bear throws out the first pitch before a 1991 Boston Red Sox game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California.
AP Photo/Ad Council
This image provided by the Ad Council circa 1957 shows an early version of the Smokey Bear campaign. Smokey Bear was created in 1944 because of fears that enemy shelling from Japan would cause forest fires while most U.S. firefighters were in battle overseas.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Smokey Bear gets a hand in blowing out the candles on his 60th birthday cake during a birthday party hosted by the Advertising Council, USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters at Universal Amphitheater, Monday, Aug. 9, 2004, in Universal City, Calif.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Statue of Liberty float travels down Broadway into Times Square during the 67th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, Thursday, Nov. 25, 1993. In the background is Smokey the Bear.
AP
In this Oct. 2, 2011 file photo, the Smokey Bear hot air balloon is shown flying at the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM.
AP
Cub Scouts Akash Abraham, 7, Stephen Peterson, 8, and Mirza Makin, 7, left to right from Gold River, clown around with Smokey the Bear while thousands of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from all over Northern California rally at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of scouting on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009.
AP
Actress Betty White clutches a Smokey the Bear stuffed doll as she is named an Honorary Forest Ranger by the US Forest Service, at the Kennedy Center in Washington Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York Gov. George Pataki, left, greets Smokey Bear, right, after signing legislation in front of the Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Thursday, Aug. 1, 1996.
Getty Images
Smokey Bear (L) rings the closing bell at NASDAQ MarketSite on September 23, 2013 in New York City.
