I have been a lifelong fan of Smokey Bear. This month, August 2014, Smokey Bear celebrates his 70th birthday. Imagine that. Smokey has been with us since the Second World War.

Seventy years of grandfatherly advice about wildfires. Seventy years of raising awareness of the impact of fire. Seventy years of standing on the roadside alerting you of the fire hazard. Seventy years of watching over us and protecting our natural resources.

As a child I looked up to Smokey. As a Park Ranger I bonded with Smokey as we were both stewards of the forest. As a wildland firefighter I appreciate the hard work Smokey put towards fighting the same battle.

Fred Hernandez, Acting National Fire Prevention Coordinator for the US Forest Service, joins me to talk about Smokey and his lifelong mission to raise awareness about wildfires.

You may be surprised to learn some of the history behind Smokey Bear. Fred talks about why Smokey was created, where his name came from, the story of Smokey Bear who lived in the National Zoo, and why Smokey's tag line changed to "Only you can prevent Wildfires.

There are many ways to get in touch with Smokey. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and of course Smokey has his own website. Smokey is so popular he even has his own zip code. You can send a letter directly to Smokey at; Smokey Bear Washington, DC 20252

If you are reading this in email, click here to listen to the episode.

This episode features a special song performed by The Wild Ponies.

Smokey Bear - Bearhug (click to watch on YouTube)