Forest fires aid the enemy, be sure your match is out
Wartime fire-prevention poster: a large painted hand holding a burnt match, under the red headline 'Forest Fires Aid the Enemy' and the line 'Be sure your match is out'. The tell is the link drawn between an everyday careless act and help to the enemy in war.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; State Forest Service
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-823 (NAID 514318).
Text on the object
FOREST FIRES AID THE ENEMY Be sure your match is out U. S. DEPT. AGRICULTURE, FOREST SERVICE STATE FOREST SERVICE [imprint: U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943-O-513709]
