Southern Region

Smokey Bear Awards

The national Smokey Bear Award program recognizes individuals and organizations for excellence in wildland fire prevention. There are three national award levels recognizing excellence in fire prevention programs.

For details of the nomination process and past winners, go to the Smokey Bear Awards page.

The National Gold Smokey Bear Award acknowledges sustained, outstanding, national level service in wildland fire prevention for at least two years. No more than three of these awards are awarded annually.

The National Silver Smokey Bear Award acknowledges sustained, outstanding regional or multi-state level service in wildland fire prevention for at least two years. No more than five of these awards are awarded annually.

The National Bronze Smokey Bear Award acknowledges sustained, outstanding state-wide service in wildland fire prevention for the past two years. No more than ten of these awards are awarded annually.

The National Certificate of Achievement acknowledges outstanding fire prevention activities for individuals and organizations that merit recognition but have not yet achieved the bronze, silver or gold status.

Robert E. Browning Junior Award

The Browning award honors the memory of Robert E. Browning, Jr., a native of the South, who gave his life battling a wildland fire on Storm King Mountain (Colorado) in 1994.

The highly-coveted award recognizes otstanding, distinguishable wildland fire prevention efforts within the 13-state Southern Region that stretches from Virginia to Texas. Only two awards are awarded annually; one for a state forestry agency employee or team, and one for a national forest employee or a team.

Each Forest Supervisor, Area Manager and Area Director may submit one award nomination for either a person or a team from either the agency or a partner agency.

To nominate someone for this award, agencies submit a brief narrative, one page or less, demonstrating the achievement.

Learn more about the history of this award...