Smokey Bear (or Smokey the Bear) is an advertising mascot created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires. An advertising campaign featuring Smokey was created in 1944 with the slogan, "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". Smokey Bear's later slogan, "Remember... Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires", was created in 1947 by The Advertising Council. In April 2001, the message was updated to "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires".
Though Smokey was originally drawn wearing the campaign hat of the U.S. National Park Service (which was in turn derived from the cavalry who protected the early U.S. national parks), the hat itself later became famous by association with the Smokey cartoon character. As such, it is sometimes today called a "Smokey Bear" hat by both the military service branches and state police who still employ it. Truck drivers by that same token often nickname state police officers "Smokey" or "bears". According to the Ad Council, Smokey Bear and his message are recognized by 95% of adults and 77% of children. One spring day in 1950, in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico, an operator in one of the fire towers spotted smoke and called the location in to the nearest ranger station. The first crew discovered a major wildfire sweeping along the ground between the trees, driven by a strong wind. Word spread rapidly, and more crews reported to help. Forest rangers, local crews from New Mexico and Texas, and the New Mexico State Game Department set out to gain control of the raging wildfire. As the crew battled to contain the blaze, they received a report of a lone bear cub seen wandering near the fire line. They hoped that the mother bear would return for him. Soon, about 30 of the firefighters were caught directly in the path of the fire storm. They survived by lying face down on a rockslide for over an hour as the fire burned past them. Nearby, the little cub had not fared as well. He took refuge in a tree that became completely charred, escaping with his life but also badly burned paws and hind legs. The crew removed the cub from the tree, and a rancher among the crew agreed to take him home. A New Mexico Department of Game and Fish ranger heard about the cub when he returned to the fire camp. He drove to the rancher’s home to help get the cub on a plane to Santa Fe, where his burns were treated and bandaged. Orphaned black bear cub "Smokey II" was the second live representation of Smokey Bear from 1975 to his death in 1990. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture / Flickr Rescued! News about the little bear spread swiftly throughout New Mexico. Soon, the United Press and Associated Press broadcast his story nationwide, and many people wrote and called, asking about the cub’s recovery. The state game warden wrote to the chief of the Forest Service, offering to present the cub to the agency as long as the cub would be dedicated to a conservation and wildfire prevention publicity program. The cub was soon on his way to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., becoming the living symbol of Smokey Bear. Smokey received numerous gifts of honey and so many letters he had to have his own zip code. He remained at the zoo until his death in 1976, when he was returned to his home to be buried at the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, New Mexico, where he continues to be a wildfire prevention legend.

Yosemite National Park is located in Mariposa County, California. Since 1916, it has been administered by the National Park Service. While most of the park is Federal land, there are several communities within the parks boundaries which fall under the Mariposa County Fire Department. Due to the distance from other county resources the communities of El Portal, Foresta, Yosemite West and Wawona are protected by the Yosemite Fire Department through an agreement with Mariposa County. Yosemite has 4 National Park Service fire stations, one concession fire station and one helibase. Fire in Yosemite has many faces. It is a phenomenon that is both fascinating and dangerous, instilling fear in some people while inspiring others. In Yosemite, the park's staff manages fire carefully and continues to study how it interacts with the park’s ecosystems. Yosemite has an extensive fire history. For over 4,000 years, American Indians frequently used fire in this area to shape the landscape to their uses. In historic times, fire was often seen as a negative force, but years ago scientists realized that fire is an integral part of forest ecosystems—and has been for millions of years. Yosemite's fire management program is designed to balance the protection of life, property, and natural and cultural resources with the continuation of fire as a natural process. Due to decades of fire suppression (actively putting out any fire that starts), forests have become overgrown and unhealthy. Naturally occurring fires allow forests to be thinned, opening the canopy and allowing sunlight through, while reducing the hazardous accumulation of dead, woody debris. Fire also allows for the recycling of nutrients to the soil, which encourages the germination and regrowth of plants, shrubs and trees. Despite these ecological benefits, fire managers must also consider other park resources. In this interest, the park will immediately suppress any fire that poses a threat to people or property, or any that are human-caused. Fire managers use three tools to mimic fire's natural function in the ecosystem: prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and wildfire. While visiting Yosemite, you may see evidence of any of these practices. Prescribed fires are ignited by qualified park fire staff under certain pre-determined conditions. These fires are carefully managed to achieve goals such as public safety (by protecting developed areas) and ecosystem restoration (by clearing unsafe accumulation of dead and down wood). Mechanical thinning removes smaller trees and brush with tools such as chainsaws. You may see these brush piles while visiting Yosemite. Mechanical thinning helps provide community protection from unwanted wildland fire, and it helps provide safer conditions for firefighters. Wildfires are caused by lightning and often allowed to burn naturally in certain park wilderness areas under specific conditions, and with close surveillance by park fire staff. These fires are managed in order to fulfill their natural role as an agent of change in the ecosystem. If it is not prudent to allow fires to burn due to nearby infrastructure, weather conditions, or resource availability, park staff will suppress them.

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