FORESTS -- Two northeastern Washington firefighters recently were presented National Smokey Bear awards for their outstanding leadership in wildfire prevention efforts.

Their work fills a niche that preserves state and national forests as a place for the rest of us to work and play.

Ray Kresek, curator, author and retired firefighter, received a 2011 Silver Smokey Bear Award; and John Foster Fanning, a DNR fire control forester and fire prevention specialist, received a 2011 Bronze Smokey Bear Award.

Kresek, author of Fire Lookouts of the Northwest, lives in Spokane where he maintains a Fire Lookout Museum available to the public by appointment. Kresek also led the effort to preserve the Salmo-Priest Wilderness.

The National Smokey Bear awards are presented annually by the Ad Council, the National Association of State Foresters, and the U. S. Forest Service to individuals for sustained excellence in wildland fire prevention.

View more photos on DNR’s Flickr page.