What phrase did the 1944 U.S. Forest Service campaign popularize to warn about human-caused wildfires?

The 1944 U.S. Forest Service campaign popularized the phrase “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.” The campaign featured Smokey Bear, a fictional bear created to promote wildfire prevention.

The phrase addressed individual responsibility by urging people to extinguish campfires, handle matches carefully, and avoid other preventable causes of forest fires. Artist Albert Staehle created the first Smokey poster, and the character quickly became a major public-service advertising figure.

The wording is often shortened to “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires,” but a later official update changed “forest fires” to “wildfires” in 2001. The campaign is also frequently confused with Smokey’s personal history: the real black bear later known as Smokey was rescued in 1950, six years after the advertising character was created.