Smokey Bear made his first appearance on a wildfire prevention poster in 1944. Eighty years later, Smokey stands as one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the U.S. “He's an icon.

Tom Knoll, 79, has been looking forward to seeing Smokey Bear for the past 45 days. Smokey Bear Park in International Falls marked the end of Knoll’s 1,650- mile running trek across the ...