Nothing could have prepared the fledgling U.S. Forest Service for the severity. Forest fires ripped through the Northern Rockies in 1910 and defined the nation’s fire policy for much of the twentieth century. Catch THE BIG BURN on Jan. 22, only on PBS (check your local listings). | American Experience | PBS

"Remember - Only YOU can prevent forest fires!" The U.S. Forest Service made Smokey Bear its official mascot on August 9, 1944. | American Experience | PBS