>>2472754>the “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” mantra that was Smokey’s>That simple message [...] were perfect for generating basic levels of awarenessThat's the point. Quick, simple, just enough to grab someone's (especially younger people's) attention and remind them to keep fire-prevention in mind. Smokey's hat tells you he's a ranger - he protects the forest. One glance and you know what he's about. The quote comes to mind any time you see a bear in a ranger hat.
>but these days our knowledge of wildfire – how it spreads, the role it plays in nature, [...] is far more extensive.Not really. "Fire = Dangerous" hasn't been disproven. It's not obsolete; in fact it's the only real message that the campaign has ever been about.
>Decades of observation and study have taught us so much, not just about how to prevent wildfire, but also how to fight it,>Not to mention how good habits and advance preparation are absolutely crucial to preserving lives and property.Okay, so, preventing, and fighting, but most importantly - PREVENTING forest fires. Again, nothing new here. Smokey was all about spreading knowledge of preventing forest fires. You might recall a little saying he had about it.
Wait, I think I saw something back there...
>how to manage it with prescribed burningIs that it? That's why? Just because now we know about the benefits of controlled fires to renew plant growth? But what if you encourage people to try it on their own? Oh, no, wait-
>as well as its cultural role within Indigenous communities.Yep. There it is. Smokey was too "white-male-coded", and Conservation Officers probably got too many racism complaints for cracking down on "sacred fires" burning through the night, surrounded/abandoned by unconscious, drunk natives.
>Ember articulates a much more sophisticated approachBy using hour-long lectures about environmental/cultural relativity instead of simple quotes, and wearing only a bandana with an image of A HOME ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
