SPRINGDALE, Wash. (AP) -- Two 6-foot-tall aluminum cutouts of Smokey Bear are missing, and authorities are asking for their return.
The bears were removed from a fire danger warning sign in downtown Springdale on Wednesday.
``We're bumping up the fire danger, and we need to get the word out,'' said Steve Harris, fire prevention coordinator for the state Department of Natural Resources. ``We need our bear.''
Harris can't afford to replace the bears and the only reward he can offer for their return is a Smokey Bear cap and other Smokey paraphernalia.
Last October, a similar bear went missing in Cheney. When authorities advertised for its return, they received an anonymous tip directing them to a spot in the woods. The bear was recovered.
Officials are hoping for a similar outcome in Springdale.
``We just want him back,'' Harris said. ``We've got fire season coming up.''
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review
