(NETWORK INDIANA) Smokey the Bear is 75 years old. The Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources is celebrating by telling his story. Before saying “Only you can prevent forest fires”, the bear was actually a symbol that you needed to be looking out for fires caused by bombs.
Ginger Murphy with the DNR says they they didn’t look at Smokey the same way in 1944 or 45 the same way as they do today
Murphy told Indiana Outdoors that the message evolved over time to get people to watch for and prevet forest fires.
She said the real Smokey was a bear cub found after a forest fire near El Capitan, who was nursed back to health and spent the rest of his life in comfort in a Washington zoo.
“Kids love him. Adults love him and we are happy to be a part of his family in the DNR.”