Five iconic Smokey Bear signs have been placed in the Malibu and surrounding canyon areas to warn the public of the levels of fire danger.
By Katherine Peach / Special to the Malibu Times
The mention of Smokey Bear evokes a sense of nostalgia for generations of Malibu residents. As the longest running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history, the icon is making a comeback.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has installed three Smokey Bear fire danger signs in Malibu. The signs are placed near Fire Stations 70 on Carbon Canyon Road and Stations 71 and 99 on Pacific Coast Highway. The cooperative effort with the Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Alliance set a total of five signs in the area, including on Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Las Virgenes Road.
Created in 1944, the federal program used Smokey Bear (commonly known as Smokey the Bear) to promote wildfire prevention due to massive fire outbreak in natural areas. Three years after his introduction, the group coined the memorable catch phrase, “Only you can prevent forest fires.” The new slogan this year is “Get Your Smokey On.”
Now, after 65 years, Smokey Bear is used in many national AD Council campaigns due to his icon status. The signs indicate current fire level from low, moderate, high, very high to extreme. The Malibu signs indicate the level of susceptibility in the area due to conditions such as wind.
Despite the relief from the summer heat, the fire season is just starting in Malibu, said Maria Grycan, a Los Angeles County Fire Department community services representative. The signs are a reminder to residents and visitors alike.
“It is especially useful in Malibu for those who aren’t familiar in the area,” Grycan said. “If people are passing through they might not be aware of the fire danger. They might think twice about taking that ‘cig’ and throwing it out the window.”
The Smokey Bear signs, funded by the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, are part of the county’s overall fire safety campaign, which includes the “Ready Set Go!” program to educate property owners on how to prepare for wildfires and protect their home.
“Our hope is that the presence of these signs will cause everyone in the area, especially those who may not be familiar with the associated fire danger, to be more cognizant of their surroundings and more responsible in their behaviors,” Yaroslavsky said in a press release from the county.
Ramifications of the Malibu fire in 2007 are still being felt with reconstruction of area homes and businesses still underway. One of the worst in recent history, the fire burned more than 5,000 acres and destroyed 50 Malibu homes. With the Thanksgiving anniversary approaching, officials are pushing for fire prevention.
Officials hope the national recognized symbol would serve as a public reminder that fire danger does exist. Another year of lower than expected rainfall has heightened concern.
While the average annual amount of rainfall for Los Angeles County is 15 inches, Los Angeles received a total of nine inches during the 2009 rain season, according to the LAFD Web site.
Los Angeles Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman stressed that an outbreak of wildfires is not a question of if, but when. He said LAFD continues to prepare, plan and educate members of the community with fire season now being year-round. The signs are one more step to keep residents and visitors vigilant.
Fire defense information is available at fire.lacounty.org