Smokey Bear Appearances: $49,447
The U.S. Forest Service spent $31,071 this year to have Smokey Bear balloons appear at festivals in the Southwest, and the government spent another $13,938 on three Smokey statues. A set of Smokey road signs cost $4,438. In all, that's nearly $50,000. And over the last seven years, the Forest Service has spent more than $230,000 on Smokey balloon appearances.
