Measures are taken to improve wildfire management

In the middle of fire season, Smokey the Bear’s cautious message resonates through all of us: only YOU can prevent wildfires.

However, fire prevention was an issue long before Smokey ever reminded us it was. Now more than ever, Congress is working to lessen the impacts of wildfires.

Smokey the Bear is the longest running public service advertising campaign in American history.

In 1942, the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Campaign used Walt Disney’s Bambi—on loan for one year only—to advertise wildfire prevention.

The campaign’s success sparked artist Albert Stahle to create the first poster depicting Smokey the Bear in 1944.

Smokey the Bear’s website explains, “The campaign’s original catch phrase was “Smokey Says—Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires.”

In 1947 it was changed to “Remember… Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires.”

Most recently, in 2001, it was again modified to “Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires” in response to a massive outbreak of wildfires in natural areas other than forests.”

The Congressional Research Service, the organization responsible for informing legislative debates, keeps track of wildfires each year: “Acreage burned during the 2014 wildfire season was less than half of the 9.3 million acres burned in 2012, which was the third-largest acreage burned annually since 1960.”

The annual devastations have peaked Congress’ interest, and the newly passed Resilient Federal Forests Act allows them to take action. The bill, introduced on June 4, 2015 passed through the House Natural Resources Committee on July 11, 2015.

The act will increase funding towards wildfire suppression.

An article published by the House Committee on Agriculture explains, “The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2015, H.R. 2647 is a comprehensive bill aimed at expediting and improving forest management activities in federal forests... disastrous consequences of catastrophic wildfire, insect and disease infestations, and other threats to our nation’s forests.

“This bill seeks to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands.”

The Congressional Research Service adds, “Wildfire funding is of concern to many. This is primarily due to interest in the effectiveness of annual wildfire appropriations (e.g., whether the funding is allowing agencies to meet wildfire management targets).

“Congress has provided funding for wildfire management additional to what was granted in the Interior appropriations bill-- usually for fire suppression-- for 7 of the last 10 years including FY[fire year]2013 and FY2014.”

They continue, “The proposals would fund wildfire suppression for a select group of fires-- theoretically the most extreme fires-- by creating a new adjustment to the statutory discretionary spending limits.”

The Resilient Federal Forests Act will improve wildfire management and suppression in years to come, making Smokey the Bear’s job much easier.