In the midst of a roaring blaze, a little bear cub climbed a tree, desperate to avoid the wildfire that would eventually consume 17,000 acres in the Lincoln National Forest. As the flames mercifully dissipated, a ground crew team rescued him from the charred tree and brought him back to town to treat his wounded legs and paws.
The 3-month-old cub’s rescue in the spring of 1950 catapulted him to the beloved role of Smokey the Bear; a character that would become recognized and adored by generations of Americans. Though Smokey’s rehabilitation left him unable to be re-released into the wild, he was able to live his life in the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., with a mate named Goldie.
As a living symbol for the previously fictional character created in 1944 to spread word about the dangers of wildfires and the need for prevention, Smokey the Bear’s message was simple: “Remember Only you can prevent forest fires.”
Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, began like any other in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But by the end of the day, 14 people had been killed and more than 2,400 buildings damaged or destroyed in a blaze that forced the evacuation of 14,000 people as rivers of fire engulfed the town. The resultant damages were estimated at $500 million.
Two boys, ages 15 and 17, have been charged for setting that fire, which Gov. Bill Haslam called “the worst in a century in Tennessee.” It is reported that they were tossing lit matches onto the ground while hiking the Chimney Tops trail, which another hiker photographed them leaving as the smoke started to rise.