Celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday at the McCall Smokejumper Base

In this 2013 photo, a roadside Smokey Bear sign tells motorists that that there are extreme fire conditions during the Beaver Creek Fire near Hailey, Idaho. (Lance Cheung/U.S. Department of Agriculture)

The Payette National Forest invites the public to celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 28 at the McCall Smokejumper Base’s south lawn at 605 N. Mission St. Parking will be available at the Riverfront Park large gravel lot below Mission Street.

Smokey Bear has been an icon in promoting forest fire safety with his tagline “only you can prevent wildfires.” This celebration is to honor his legacy as the face of America’s longest-running public service campaign for over eight decades, according to a press release from Payette National Forest. 

Activities include:

Children touring fire engines and playing “pin the bucket and shovel on the campfire”
Singing “Happy Birthday” to Smokey Bear
A local library reading “The True Story of Smokey Bear” 
Raffles with Smokey Bear Prizes
Various fire organizations collaborating to promote fire safety 

The event is a collaboration with the McCall Fire Department, Valley County Fire Wise, Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association, Idaho Department of Lands, the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and the Donnelly Library. 

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