Tree Talk: Smoke gets in your eyes

October is Fire Prevention Month and local Fire Departments do an excellent job of outreach to homeowners, reminding us to replace the batteries in our smoke detectors and to take care with outside activities, as well. Many young students are treated to a visit to the local Fire Department, an opportunity to hear from firefighters and see a firetruck up-close. Some of these youngsters are inspired to fight fires and protect lives when they grow up.

For those of us who live within the bounds of a Midwestern community, we enjoy the benefits of decent roads, good water, quick access to food and fuel, church and school, and – if we are lucky - first responders awaiting our beck and call. Wonderful amenities that we may take for granted. But living "in town" means we miss out on a few things. There are rules. While lots of people feel compelled to rake up fallen foliage every autumn, we miss out on the smell of burning leaves – just one of my childhood memories growing up in a town so small we didn't really have many rules. No rules against burning leaves, anyway. Instead, this commodity of nature likely gets bagged and hauled to a dumpsite.

The most iconic symbol of wildfire prevention is Smokey Bear, a fictional character brought to life by the USDA Forest Service and the Ad Council in 1944. The first Smokey Bear poster featured the bear pouring a bucket of water on a campfire and saying, "Care will prevent 9 out of 10 fires." As Smokey became more popular, his image appeared on more fire prevention materials. In 1947 his slogan became "Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires!" – a message which was later updated to be "Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires!" That is the message Smokey promotes to this day. In 1950, a young black bear cub was rescued from a tree he climbed to survive a fire in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico. Firefighters who rescued him named him Smokey – the living symbol of Smokey Bear. He was relocated to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and played an important role in spreading messages of wildfire prevention.

The bear died in 1976 and was returned to be buried in the mountains of New Mexico where he had been found. The area is now known as Smokey Bear Historical Park.

The use of fire as a means for cooking, heating and hunting was one of the first major developments of human civilization. Fire is one of nature's most essential agents of change and when used safely, fire can be an effective and natural ecosystem management tool.

Remember Smokey's ABCs: Always Be Careful with fire.

Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires!