It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a bear? The Montague Balloon Fest is back for the first time since 2018, and so is its friend Smokey Bear. Smokey bear has made an appearance, but its rather cute face has a very impactful meaning.
The US Forest Service’s Smokey Bear balloon was the first balloon to take flight at the hot air balloon ceremony, but there's a lot of important meaning behind its cute exterior. Jennifer Erickson, Forest Fire Prevention Officer, says the Smokey bear is an icon and symbol for spreading the message of wildfire prevention.
This hot air balloon takes 12 to 15 people to set up before they can inflate it, and once inflated the height of the balloon is a whopping 97 feet, including the basket. Making the total weight of the balloon with the basket and fuel tanks 1,130 pounds!