In an effort to educate Oregonians about how to prevent accidental wildfires, representatives with the Keep Oregon Green Association, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior agencies are inviting Oregon State Fair attendees to join them in celebrating Smokey Bear, the famous icon who turns 70 this year. Keep Oregon Green will host a birthday party for Smokey Bear, complete with cake on Saturday, August 23 between the hours of 1 and 2 p.m. There will be Smokey Bear story-time for children at 11 and 3 every day, and Smokey Bear will be available to greet and take ‘selfies’ with his fans all day, every day. The public programs and the cake-cutting celebration will take place in the Keep Oregon Green booth, located in the Natural Resource Area next to the poultry and horse barns. Keep Oregon Green’s displays will feature historic Smokey Bear images and memorabilia that made him famous. According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, last year nearly 2,000 acres were burned by human-caused wildfires. The most common sources of human-caused wildfires are debris burning on windy days, operating equipment that emits or causes sparks, and campfires left unattended. There are several entities that offer information on wildfire prevention practices. Keep Oregon Green, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordination Group are great places to start. First introduced in 1944, Smokey Bear has become the recognized symbol of wildfire prevention all across America. His image and message, “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires,” is the longest-running public service advertising campaign in our nation’s history. Send Smokey a birthday wish, and he will write you back! Send it to Smokey Bear, Washington, D.C. 20252.
