SM 40 — "SMOKEY BEAR DAY"

SENATE MEMORIAL 40 54TH LEGISLATURE- STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2020 INTRODUCED BY Elizabeth "Liz” Stefanics 6 8 10 A MEMORIAL DECLARING FEBRUARY 4, 2020 "SMOKEY BEAR DAY" IN THE SENATE.

134 WHEREAS, one spring day in 1950, a wildfire broke out in the Capitan mountains of New Mexico;

and WHEREAS, as crews from New Mexico and Texas battled the blaze, they received a report of a lone bear cub seen wandering e t 17 near the fire line;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, about thirty of the firefighters were trapped = = 19 a l directly in the path of the fire storm but survived the fire;

i a e r 20 and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, the little cub took refuge in a charred tree, d r e 22 escaping the fire but suffering badly burned paws and hind c e s k 23 legs;

and e a n b 24 WHEREAS, the crew removed the cub from the tree, and the u [ cub was flown to Santa Fe where a veterinarian treated and .217162.1 bandaged the cub's burns;

and WHEREAS, Smokey Bear continues to be one of the most-loved ambassadors for fire prevention, with a legacy SM 40 Page 1 that remains relevant to this day;

and e e 17 WHEREAS, Smokey Bear's signature phrase "only you can e e n d 18 prevent wildfires" is part of the American lexicon;

and = = l ] 19 WHEREAS, Smokey Bear's message resonates today with nearly a l r i 20 nine out of ten wildfires nationwide caused by humans;

and t e a t WHEREAS, Smokey Bear's unique and important role is m m 21 e d r e 22 focused on preventing unwanted, human-caused wildfires by c e r c 23 educating the public and encouraging them to be responsible;

e a n b 24 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE u [ OF NEW MEXICO that February 4, 2020 be designated "Smokey Bear .217162.1 - 2 - Day" in the senate in recognition of the ongoing urgency of reducing wildfires;

-SM 340 -Page 102 1225 14 16 e e 17 e e n d 18 = = l ] 19 a l r i 20 t e a t m m 21 e d r e 22 c e r c 23 e a n b 24 u [ .217162.1