Firefighters rescued a bear from Florida blaze and named it 'Smokey Junior'

Firefighters in Lake County, Florida, rescued a bear cub during a brush fire on Thursday. They gave it a very fitting name: Smokey Junior.

According to CNN the cub was discovered while firefighters were in their, "mop up" phase. Originally, the mother was no where in sight. 

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

"We treated him like one of our own," Battalion Chief Tony Cuellar told CNN. "Actually, we gave him a name while we waited for fish and game to arrive," he said. That name, of course, was Smokey Junior.

According to the Lake County Fire Rescue's Facebook, the 15 to 20-pound bear cub suffered slight burns to its paws and face from the blaze, which affected over 250 acres of land. 

The bear is now being cared for by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. WFTV reports that the Conservation may have found the bear's mother and will attempt to reunite the two once the cub is cleared. 

WFTV also reports that the blaze was contained with no reported injuries. 

In 1950, a bear cub was rescued from a fire in New Mexico, which was named Smokey Bear. The bear inspired a song and later an advertising campaign against forest fires using the slogan, "Only you can prevent forest fires."  

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