Smokey the Bear

Smokey the Bear is a concept that has been around a long time to bring awareness to human created forest fires. Well, in the 1940's a real, live Smokey the Bear came about. In Capitan, New Mexico a baby bear cub was found clinging to a tree in the middle of a forest fire. The bear cub had lost its mother and had badly burned paws. A firefighter took the bear cub home and nursed him back to health. The bear became Smokey the Bear and he was taken to a zoo in Washington DC. When Smokey the Bear dies in 1976, he was flown back to Capitan to be buried in his homeland. They considered burying him in the forest where he was found but because of vandalism concerns, they decided to bury him in the city of Capitan and created a park and museum around his grave. Who knew?