NEWS RELEASE: Celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday At Wisconsin State Parks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2024
Contact: Missy VanLanduyt, DNR Recreation Partnerships Section Manager
[email protected]

Celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80^th Birthday At
Wisconsin State Parks

A Smokey Bear mascot waves while posing alongside an animated Smokey Bear cutout with a small lake in the background.

For 80 years, Smokey Bear has empowered people to make a difference through his message of personal responsibility. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages the public to celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80^th birthday by making sure they understand the basics of wildfire prevention and practice fire safety while enjoying the outdoors.

The Smokey Bear campaign has helped children and adults throughout Wisconsin understand their role in preventing wildfires. For 80 years, Smokey Bear has empowered people to make a difference through his message of personal responsibility.

To commemorate Smokey’s 80th birthday, the DNR is hosting several events at state parks and state forests across the state over the coming weeks. Join DNR staff to hear the story of Smokey Bear, enjoy a slice of birthday cake, listen to some live music or participate in a family-friendly fire safety activity.

Check the DNR Events Calendar to find out if Smokey will be paying a visit to your favorite public lands this summer.

Smokey’s message of campfire safety is important whether you’re camping in one of our state parks or forests or simply roasting hotdogs in your backyard – the same rules apply. Consider these safety tips when visiting a state campground and having a fire in one of our designated campfire rings.

Keep fires small and manageable.
Have plenty of water and tools handy to keep your fire in control.
Only burn clean, dry wood (only use local firewood).
Keep your tent and firewood a safe distance away from the campfire.
Never leave fires unattended.
Make sure fires are properly extinguished before leaving the site.
Use a lot of water – drown, stir and repeat until embers are cold.
Before your visit, check out the current fire danger on the WisBURN webpage.

Just like extinguishing a candle in a home before leaving, it’s important to ensure campfires are completely extinguished before leaving your site. Keep a bucket of water nearby along with tools like a rake or shovel, and use the drown-stir-drown-feel method. Burying warm or hot coals or using sand are unreliable methods and can easily rekindle a fire.

By following these steps, everyone can safely enjoy the cool nights by your cozy campfire. Remember, only you can prevent wildfires!

Learn more about the common causes of wildfires, including campfires, and how you can take appropriate action to prevent unwanted fires on our Wildfire Causes webpage.