[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 57 (Thursday, April 29, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4683-S4684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION OF SMOKEY BEAR'S 60TH BIRTHDAY

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate a 
birthday and to pay tribute to a hero and icon from my home State a New 
Mexican who became the renowned symbol for the Cooperative Forest Fire 
Prevention program. His name is Smokey Bear.
  Sixty years ago this year, Smokey Bear became the voice for the 
Forest Service public education campaign to save American forests. 
Since his creation in 1944, most Americans now quickly associate the 
name Smokey Bear with his mantra: ``Only You Can Prevent Forest 
Fires.''
  Not many know the remarkable story of Smokey Bear or that the fire 
prevention program is the longest running public service advertising 
campaign in the history of the Ad Council. In 1950, Smokey Bear became 
real, sadly through an unfortunate forest fire. That spring, in Lincoln 
County, a little black bear cub was found clinging to the side of a 
charred pine tree after a forest fire swept through the mountains. 
After being discovered, he was briefly called ``Hot Foot Teddy,'' but 
was later named Smokey Bear after the Ad Council's poster bear.
  Since that late spring day, that cub became the living symbol of 
Smokey Bear and worked to remind Americans of the importance of outdoor 
fire safety. It is a message whose importance has not faded since the 
bear was discovered on a charred New Mexico mountain.
  New Mexico, along with other Western States, has experienced 
devastating

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fires in recent years, which is why the fire prevention message is so 
important. Forest fires burn millions of acres, destroy homes and 
businesses, and, worse yet, take the lives of wildland firefighters. As 
we remember all too well, 2000 was the worst fire year on record since 
1957, and subsequent years have not been much better.
  Last year's devastating fires prompted us to finally agree to the 
passage of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. I have a feeling Smokey 
Bear would be proud of that accomplishment, and know that his wildfire 
program had never been more important. While we now work to improve our 
forests with this new law, Smokey's message must still resound. This 
message of forest fire prevention has undoubtedly helped to reduce the 
number of forest acres lost annually to wildfire. By what measure, I 
can never know. However, to suggest that he has not made a significant 
difference would be amiss.
  The injured cub discovered in 1950, our Smokey Bear, eventually 
arrived at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, where he would become 
the living symbol for fire prevention. He resided in the National Zoo 
for 26 years until he passed on November 9, 1976. Most appropriately he 
was returned to his old roaming grounds and to his home town to be laid 
to rest.
  Capitan is a small town in Lincoln County, nestled between those 
Capitan and Sacramento Mountains of central New Mexico. This beautiful 
place is full of wonderful people who love the land and refer to Smokey 
Bear as ``Capitan's favorite son.'' Each year Capitan residents 
celebrate his memory with the Fourth of July Smokey Bear Stampede, but 
this year is a special tribute. The village is hosting a special 60th 
birthday celebration May 7-9. Much of the 3-day festivity will take 
place at the historical park named in Smokey Bear's honor and along 
what is now aptly named Smokey Bear Boulevard.
  I pay tribute to the people of Capitan in this Record--they have gone 
to great lengths to preserve the story and meaning of Smokey Bear. I 
also salute the USDA, the Forest Service, the National Association of 
State Foresters, and the Ad Council for supporting this program all 
these years. May the initiative's success only be a prelude to future 
forest preservation and wildfire prevention, and may Smokey Bear and 
all he represents forever remain.

                          ____________________