Washington’s First Smokey Bear Plate Will Support Wildfire Prevention and Firefighter Readiness

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Smokey Bear is officially hitting the road in Washington state.

On Tuesday, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5444 into law, authorizing the creation of a special Smokey Bear license plate. Proceeds from the plate will directly support the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) wildfire prevention programs and provide critical resources to wildland firefighters.

“It’s fitting that our state’s first Smokey Bear license plate was passed by the Legislature during Wildfire Awareness Month,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove. “Roughly 90 percent of wildfires in Washington are human-caused. We couldn’t ask for a more iconic and trusted advocate than Smokey to help spread the message of prevention across our highways and roads.”

The Smokey Bear license plate will be available to the public beginning November 1, with a $40 fee for the initial plate and a $30 renewal fee. All proceeds will benefit wildfire prevention and education initiatives led by DNR.

“A lot of hard work went into passing this bill,” Upthegrove added. “I want to extend my sincere thanks to Representative Donaghy and Senator Nobles for championing this effort over the past two legislative sessions.”

Since 1944, Smokey Bear has been the nation’s symbol of wildfire prevention, reminding Americans that “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.” Now, Washingtonians can show their support for that mission, and for the firefighters who carry it out, by proudly displaying Smokey Bear plates on their vehicles.

The new plate aims to raise public awareness about human-caused wildfires and reinforce the collective responsibility to protect communities and natural landscapes.