By Mike Finney

DOVER — Smokey Bear is an American legend whose sight alone is enough to quickly remember the phrase, “Only you can prevent forest fires.”

On Friday, the famous symbol of wildfire prevention made an appearance at the Dover Public Library, attracting a room full of at least 100 youngsters.

They, along with their parents, were in attendance to mark Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday.

The visit was the 20th stop of 33 that the character is making to public libraries this year.

Ashley Melvin, a training and education specialist with the Delaware Forest Service, got the pleasure of introducing Smokey to the kids.

The appearance came after Jackie McCabe — more often known as “Miss Jackie” by children at the library — performed some interactive songs and the state’s first lady, Tracey Quillen Carney, read “The Bear Ate Your Sandwich.”

“This was especially fun for me,” Ms. Melvin said. “I’ve worked for the Delaware Forest Service for over 20 years now, and I’ve coordinated the Smokey Bear wildfire prevention program for that many years.

“Just to have the libraries contact us and want to engage with Smokey really did kind of give me a fire, if I may use the word.”

She added that Smokey Bear is so generational that she notices even parents of young children perk up when in his presence. The adults often want pictures taken with the bear, too.

“I have people come up to me after the program going, ‘I remember going to the zoo to see Smokey,’ or ‘I remember Smokey coming to my classroom,’ and so, it gives me a great sense of pride to help provide that opportunity to the younger generation, and maybe one day, they’ll say the same thing when it’s his 100th birthday,” she said.

After reading to the youngsters, Ms. Carney noted, “It was a great time. I always love reading, especially with young children and all kids. They were nice enough to give me a book that’s one of those books like the old Bugs Bunny cartoons, where there’s something for the kids, and there’s something for the adults hidden inside.”

The first lady added, “Smokey Bear is an American legend. ... Every time I drove to my grandparents’ house, there was a sign with Smokey on it with ‘Fire risk today, low to high,’ and it’s still there. I can still see it when I drive on Route 40 in New Jersey.”

The Smokey Bear wildfire prevention campaign is the longest-running public service initiative in the U.S., educating generations of Americans about their role in preventing outdoor blazes.

The original Smokey was an actual American black bear, rescued from a 17,000-acre forest fire near Capitan, New Mexico, on May 9, 1950.

He was nursed back to health by the family of a New Mexico game warden that had heard about a “poster bear” named Smokey, so he made the cub a living symbol of that message.

After recovering from injuries in the fire, the live Smokey made the journey to Washington, D.C., where he found a home at the National Zoo. He was visited by millions until his death in 1976.

However, Smokey Bear the mascot lives on.

Following his appearance at the library Friday, Smokey met some Dover Fire Department volunteers and checked out one of their firetrucks.

“It’s actually a fantastic time to celebrate Smokey’s 80th birthday,” said state forester Kyle Hoyd. “It’s not every day that an icon like Smokey turns 80.

“This entire year, we’ve really dedicated to the partnership between the libraries, volunteer fire folks and the Forest Service at the Department of Agriculture, and it’s an impressive feat to see so many people come out for it.”

Staff writer Mike Finney can be reached at 302-741-8230 or mfinney@iniusa.org.
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