Forest Service, USDA
Chadron, Neb., May 1, 2024—On August 9th, Smokey Bear will turn 80 years old. There will be opportunities to see Smokey at Forest, Grassland and community events all over the footprint of Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands (NNFG).
The celebration starts today with a coloring contest open to area students, with categories for
ages 3-6, 7-11, and 12-15. Students can print coloring pages from the 80th celebration’s website, or pick them up at local NNFG office and visitor center locations. The coloring pages must be
turned in by July 31st, either to a local NNFG US Forest Service office location, mailed via US
Postal Service: Smokey Bear Coloring Contest c/o Supervisor's Office, 125 N. Main Street,
Chadron, NE 69337 - or emailed to [email protected]. There will be a winner selected from each category and they will receive a tree from NNFG’s own Bessey Nursery, in Halsey, NE.
The celebration website will also have a running list of events happening throughout the
summer, and events will be announced on NNFG’s social media sites. We post notification of
operations on our Facebook page; (https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaForestsGrasslands/), and on X @USFSNebraska. Events currently planned are as follows:
• Smokey Bear will greet students from Burwell, NE, May 2nd, students from Mullen,
NE, on May 3rd, and Stapleton & Halsey, NE on May 13th at Bessey Ranger District
• Smokey Bear appearance at Broken Bow Library May 22nd
• Smokey Bear appearance at Chadron Public Library May 25th
We look forward to seeing you out there, celebrating 80 years of Smokey’s lessons about how to avoid human caused wildfire.