In 2001, Smokey Bear’s famous slogan was updated to “Only you can prevent” what?

The U.S. Forest Service introduced Smokey Bear in 1944 to remind Americans to be careful with fire. For decades his slogan was “Only you can prevent forest fires.” In 2001 it was updated to “wildfires,” since grasslands and other wild areas burn too.

In 1950, firefighters in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico rescued a badly burned bear cub clinging to a tree. Named Smokey, he lived at the National Zoo in Washington until 1976 and received so much mail that he was given his own ZIP code, 20252.

Smokey is one of the longest-running public service campaigns in American history.