Sierra Madre is experiencing a sharp rise in bear home invasions, with 41 incidents reported in June alone, more than triple the number from the previous year. The increase follows the Eaton fire, which drove bears from their charred habitats into residential areas in search of food and water. According to Lt. Charles Kamchamnan of the Sierra Madre Police Department, “With the fires, the weather and the dryness and heat, they’re coming down.”
A 300-pound female bear linked to several break-ins was euthanized, leading to a temporary drop in incidents. However, city officials continue to grapple with the ongoing bear activity. Sierra Madre, along with nearby communities like Claremont and Monrovia, has become a hotspot for human-bear conflicts. The situation has been exacerbated by the state’s decision to cut funding for human-wildlife conflict specialists in Southern California.
Residents have resorted to installing barriers and securing trash to deter bears, but the problem persists. Bobbi Brink, director of the Lions Tigers & Bears animal sanctuary, explained that wildfires force bears to seek new areas for food and shelter, often bringing them closer to human settlements.
Local leaders are calling for more effective management from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as bear encounters pose a growing safety risk. Assemblymember John Harabedian warned, “We need to figure this out before someone gets seriously maimed or killed.”
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