Washington drivers could soon see Smokey the Bear on the road — not behind the wheel, but on a new specialty license plate that lawmakers are currently considering.
“Since 1944, Smokey Bear has reminded with his signature catchphrase that, ‘Only you can prevent wildfires,’” State Sen. T'wina Nobles (D-Fircrest) said in a statement. “Putting his image on vehicles across Washington would increase awareness by reminding us of our shared responsibility to safeguard our state’s natural legacy. As 90% of wildfires are human caused every year, his message has never been more important.” Nobles introduced SB 5910 last week. The bill, which aims to raise money through the sale of the specialty Smokey plates to fund prevention efforts aimed at human-cause fires, has so far been heard by Washington state's Senate Transportation Committee.