Happy birthday, Smokey Bear! See 75 years of the famous fire prevention mascot

USA TODAY

Smokey Bear, the recognizable mascot of wildfire prevention in the United States, turns 75 Thursday.

The U.S. Forest Service started the campaign in 1944 and used it to educate the American public on the dangers of forest fires. A live mascot, appropriately named Smokey, was added to the campaign in 1950.

Smokey's face appeared on posters with his famous slogan: "only you can prevent forest fires." In 2001, the slogan was updated to: "only you can prevent wildfires." Smokey has also appeared on postage stamps, billboards and even a hot-air balloon.

Celebrities including Betty White and Arnold Schwarzenegger have teamed up with Smokey to raise wildfire awareness. And this year Stephen Colbert, Jeff Foxworthy and Al Roker gave the iconic bear's animated emoji a voice.

Here are 15 historic images from Smokey's life and campaign.

Smokeymoji? Smokey Bear gets a new voice, gets emoji for his 75th birthday

Ray Bell stands next to an oversized copy of the Smokey Bear stamp on August 13, 1984. Bell cared for Smokey Bear after the young cub was rescued from a forest fire in 1950.

Artist Albert Staehle created the first Smokey Bear poster in October 1944, seen here. At the time, the campaign used Smokey's original campaign slogan, "Care will prevent 9 out of 10 forest fires!" In the years following, Smokey's campaign became famous for its cartoon artwork. The Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign serves as one of the longest-running public service advertising campaigns in the history of the United States.

In 1947, the year this poster came out, Smokey's slogan was updated to "only YOU can prevent forest fires!" The slogan changed again in 2001 to: "only you can prevent wildfires!" The change from "forest fires" to "wildfires" came after an increase in fires in non-forest areas around the United States.

A little bear was rescued from a forest fire in 1950 with badly burned paws and hind legs. He was named Smokey and became the live version of the fire prevention mascot.

Smokey the bear cub is flown from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to his new home at the Washington National Zoo in a Piper J-3 Cub, by New Mexico's Assistant State Game Warden Homer C. Pickens in 1950.

The living Smokey Bear stands at his National Zoo home in Washington, D.C., in 1976. At first, he was called "Hotfoot Toddy," but his name was changed to Smokey so he could serve as a live symbol for the Smokey Bear campaign.

This 1956 campaign poster features artwork by former U.S. Forest Service employee Rudolph "Rudy" Wendelin. Wendelin was the campaign's first official artist and created eye-catching artwork to educate the American public on wildfire prevention until his retirement in 1973.

A 1961 poster features a calendar, aimed to educate the American people on when most wildfires take place. Because nine out of 10 wildfires are started by humans, the campaign highlighted the importance of being extra careful during weekend visits to national parks.

Smokey Bear's face was displayed commercially throughout the 1950s and '60s. Seen here on a box of matches, he was also featured on merchandise, in cartoons, on clothes and even a U.S. postage stamp.

Rudolph Wendelin, the artist who developed Smokey Bear, stands next to a mascot costume for the bear. In 1952 Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins wrote what became a successful song named "Smokey the Bear." The "the" in his name was added for rhythm and has created confusion ever since.

New York Gov. George Pataki, left, greets Smokey Bear after signing legislation in front of the Capitol in Albany, New York, Aug. 1, 1996.

The Smokey Bear hot-air balloon is shown flying at the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Oct. 2, 2011.

Arnold Schwarzenegger holds a Smokey Bear stuffed toy presented to him by the U.S. Forest Service during a ceremony at the Agriculture Department in Washington Oct. 30, 2013, where he was named the agency's third honorary Forest Ranger for his leadership on climate change. Multiple celebrities have taken part in the Smokey Bear campaign, including Betty White, Stephen Colbert and Sam Elliott.

Smokey Bear poses with the Boston Red Sox mascot Wally before a baseball game between the Red Sox and the Houston Astros in Boston on Aug. 15, 2014.

Smokey has served as a fire safety symbol for the U.S. Forest Service for decades, motivating the American public to be aware of fire hazards in national forests.

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