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Building community to mitigate wildfires

Image shows a collage of four photographs. The left-most shows two people walking towards a car with a hill in the background, the second from the left shows a woman marking on a map on a wall, the third from the left shows a man showing a group of people something in the undergrowth of a forest, and the fourth from the left shows a group of people standing around a table.
What do you do when you can't entirely stop something bad from happening? You mitigate the damage it might cause. Natural disasters, like hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires, can never be completely stopped. In fact, wildfire is an important part of many healthy ecosystems. That doesn’t mean it won't pose an existential threat to people's lives and property, so dealing with the threat it poses…
#Community, #Wildfire, #WildfirePrevention, #Firefighters, #WildlandFirefighters

Meet Smokey Bear in Washington, DC!

Image shows a Forest Service employee pointing to something for a visitor while animatronic Smokey Bear looks on.
Smokey Bear stands outside the USDA Forest Service entrance. Come in to visit our Information Center and meet Smokey! (USDA Forest Service photo by Alex Demas) Imagine you’re a tourist visiting Washington, DC. As you walk along the south side of the Mall towards the Washington Monument, out…
#SmokeyBear, #History, #WildfirePrevention, #Safety

Happy Birthday, Smokey Bear!

Image shows Smokey giving the high sign to the camera.
On August 9th, 2025, Smokey Bear turns 81 years young! Here he's celebrating early with a young fan on the National Mall. (USDA Forest Service photo by Preston Keres) Here at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, wildfire prevention is a big priority. There’s no better…
#SmokeysBirthday, #SmokeyBear, #WildfirePrevention, #FirePrevention, #Fire, #OutdoorSafety

Woodsy Owl’s Fourth of July tips

Image shows Woodsy Owl giving children a high five while adults look on.
It’s me, Woodsy Owl! I hope you’ll come celebrate the 4th of July on a national forest or grassland with us, so I’ve got some tips to help make your trip a blast. (USDA Forest Service photo by Tanya Flores) It’s almost the Fourth of July! The Nation’s 249th Birthday! I’m as excited as you are…
#FourthOfJuly, #SmokeyBear, #Safety, #OutdoorSafety, #WoodsyOwl, #WildfirePrevention, #FirePrevention, #Recreation

A “typical” day as a burn boss (if there is one)

Image shows a man in a baseball cap pointing to a map of a prescribed fire plan.
Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Cory Carlson discusses the plan for the Goldwater Prescribed Fire Project with Prescott National Forest Hotshot crew members. (USDA Forest Service photo by Ansgar Mitchell) It’s 8 a.m.Cory Carlson is onsite and ready to start his workday as a district fire management…
#PrescribedFire, #ControlledBurn, #Firefighters, #WildlandFirefighting, #WildfirePrevention

Missed the Fireforest screening? Watch now

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—In late December, employees had the opportunity to attend a screening of “Fireforest,” a film by Evan Barrientos, that showcases the impact of work the Forest Service does with partners to reduce wildfire risk.The 2020 Cameron Peak wildfire, the largest in Colorado’s history, was slowed due to Forest Service and partner cooperative efforts. Early efforts, like prescribed burns on…
#Education, #Video, #Fire, #FirePrevention, #WildfirePrevention