THIS PROJECT WILL USE FUNDS FOR NATIONAL WILDFIRE PREVENTION FOR A GRAPHIC NOVEL CENTERED ON SMOKEY BEAR AND THE MESSAGE OF WILDFIRE PREVENTION. A GRAPHIC NOVEL IS A LONG FORM SEQUENTIAL STORY THAT IS PRESENTED IN COMIC STRIP FORMAT AND PUBLISHED AS A BOOK. THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT ALL FIFTY STATE FOREST FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. CREATED IN 1944, THE SMOKEY BEAR WILDFIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IS THE LONGEST RUNNING PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN IN UNITED STATES HISTORY, EDUCATING GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN PREVENTING WILDFIRES. AS ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST RECOGNIZABLE CHARACTERS, SMOKEY'S IMAGE IS PROTECTED BY FEDERAL LAW AND IS ADMINISTERED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE FORESTERS, AND THE AD COUNCIL. DESPITE THE CAMPAIGNS SUCCESS OVER THE YEARS, WILDFIRE PREVENTION REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUES AFFECTING OUR COUNTRY. SMOKEY'S MESSAGE IS AS RELEVANT AND URGENT TODAY AS IT WAS IN 1944.