All are invited to help Smokey Bear celebrate his 75th birthday at the newly rebuilt Sawmill Creek Campground 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17.
Smokey will share his birthday cake at 11 a.m. and be available for photo. Children’s activities related to fire prevention will be included.
Smokey and his clear message “Only you can prevent wildfires” has stood the test of time. More than 95% of wildland fires in Southeast Alaska are human caused, the Sitka Ranger District said in a news release. The majority of those fires are caused by unattended campfires.
The Smokey Bear image began in 1944 with the wartime advertising council and the need to prevent wildfires which were a threat that used up precious resources, especially during World War II.
For information about the event, call the Sitka Ranger District at 747-6671 or email SM.FS.r10_sitka_rd@usda.gov.
The iconic Smokey Bear is illustrated in this image from the USDA Forest Service, Sitka Ranger District. (Photo provided)
