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National Fire Plan Success Story

Fire Prevention Programs
Olympic National Forest, Western Washington
National Fire Plan - Firefighting
2008

Smokey the Bear with flight nurses.
Community Safety Day, Port Ludlow: Smokey with flight nurses.

Smokey the Bear and children.
Smokey at Seattle Mariners Kids Day..

The Olympic National Forest (NF) has been participating in far-reaching fire prevention presentations with Smokey Bear. These programs have been carried out all over the Olympic Peninsula and the greater Puget Sound area, including Seattle. Some higher profile events include the Port Angeles Safety Day and the recent Port Ludlow Safety Day organized by the East Jefferson County Fire Organization. The Olympic NF also participates in the Seattle Mariners baseball team’s Kid’s Appreciation Day at the end of each baseball season. These programs allow for wide exposure for a fire prevention message as it relates to Western Washington. Several hundred families attend community safety days, and several thousand attend Seattle Mariners games. It is the goal of the Olympic NF to continue ongoing participation in these programs, where a positive fire prevention message can be reinforced to the communities of Western Washington.

Every year brings opportunity to participate in a variety of events around the Olympic Peninsula. The fall is an excellent time to reach children as they go back to school. Visits to classrooms, events, and programs with Smokey and fire personnel occur throughout the year as well. Different seasons provide for the ability to deliver messages as they relate to the fire danger at that time. In the fall, the focus of fire prevention changes from a focus on summer wildfires to issues such as safety with fires while hunting or burning outdoors. Fall prevention programs communicate that fire is an issue all year, not just in the summer.

Fire management also has the benefit of working with other resource areas, such as wildlife, when participating in programs around the Peninsula. Working together has benefits beyond that of fire prevention; it builds stronger relationships among National Forest resources staff.

Contact: Tyler Bentley at 360-956-2390, or at tbentley@fs.fed.us.