What Is the Story of Smokey Bear?

He is . . .The beloved black bear who teaches fire safety to nature lovers of all agesThe only fictional character in the United States to have their own zip code—20252A character created in 1944 by the US Forest Service to help prevent wildfires Who HQ brings you the stories behind the most well-known characters of our time.In this addition to the What Is the Story Of? series, young readers will get to know American icon Smokey Bear’s history with the U.S. Forest Service and fire safety!Created by the U.S. Forest Service in 1944 in reaction to forest fires being used as attacks during World War II, Smokey Bear has been guiding Americans through fire safety and preparedness for nearly eighty years. This American black bear known for wearing a pair of blue jeans and a forest ranger hat has found himself in classrooms, on stamps, in cartoons, on lunchboxes, in comic strips, and even as a giant balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 1950, Smokey came to life when a real-life