Today, as firefighters battle a wildfire on Bear Mountain outside of Jim Thorpe, the nation marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day.

Just two days ago residents were ready to flee their homes if they needed to. On Monday, help arrived in the form of firefighters from around the state with drones to drop accelerants to begin to backburn the fire.

Heavy smoke hangs in the air throughout the areas surrounding the fire.

But this is an anomaly.

In the Times News area, we are normally blessed with clean air and pristine waters where we can boat and swim. The fish and wildlife are plentiful, including our cherished national symbol, the bald eagle.

It wasn’t always like this. For a long time, eagles were hunted, and by 1940, Congress had to pass the Bald Eagle Protection Act, which outlawed the killing and disturbing of eagles, as well as the possession of eagle parts, including feathers, eggs and nests.

Legal protection didn’t stop the use of the insecticide DDT, which caused the eggshells to become so thin they would easily break. By 1963, only 417 nesting pairs were found in the lower 48 states.

Rachel Carson, a woman who grew up in rural western Pennsylvania, helped with the comeback.

In 1962 she published “Silent Spring,” a groundbreaking book that documented the environmental harm caused by the indiscriminate use of DDT.

The book sparked national conversation, resulting in the ban of DDT and paving the way for eagles to begin their recovery.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission reports there were just three nests in the late 1970s. With the success of the Game Commission’s recovery program, Pennsylvania now boasts more than 300 nests.

Once a rare sight, eagles have become more common, and our chances of spotting this magnificent bird have never been better.

Earth Day began as a similar revival. Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson, long concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States, and many others witnessed a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in January 1969.

By April 22, 1970, 20 million people rallied in defense of the environment, marking the first Earth Day.

This led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, designed to protect our planet for future generations.

Nelson announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses, sparking interest in the education world.

In Palmerton in the 1970s, students marked Earth Day with walking field trips from SS Palmer Middle School to pick up trash and climb Marshalls Hill to learn about the red shale and other natural elements. Those afternoons instilled a sense of stewardship for the environment.

We have our own revitalization story outside of Palmerton, where a Superfund site resulting from pollution from the New Jersey Zinc Company has been turned into a wildlife refuge.

The Lehigh Gap Nature Center, located at the foot of the Kittatinny Ridge, takes up 400 acres, with ponds, wetlands, a 2.5 mile riparian zone, forested slopes and cliffs.

The nature center is the only Superfund site in the country to be restored to an environmental education center, giving area students plenty to experience.

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Trail and Appalachian Trail run through the property, offering spectacular views and chances to see native wildlife.

Another gem is the Carbon County Environmental Education Center, located on 70 acres of woodland, wetland and meadow within Mauch Chunk Lake Park. The center boasts educational displays, a lending library, a playground and a small wildlife rehabilitation hospital. Visitors can see a bald and golden eagle, permanent residents whose injuries prevent them from being released.

We should never stop our pursuit to save the planet, but we can be encouraged by these strides that embody the spirit of Earth Day.

MARTA GOUGER |mgouger@tnonline.com