Another day, another bear story.
A bear broke into a home in Mount Crested Butte yesterday and started a fire in the kitchen. The Crested Butte Fire Protection District(CBFPD) responded to a residential fire and discovered the bear had entered the home and accidentally started a fire. The bear was approached safely and the fire was contained in the kitchen. No injuries were reported.
CBFPD posted this advice to help prevent wildlife encounters as bears become more active due to drought conditions:
- Locking doors and windows when you are away or asleep
- Securing food, pet food, and trash
- Cleaning up outdoor grills and food residue
- Never approaching or attempting to remove a bear yourself
Anyone who encounters a bear inside or near their home is urged to move to a safe location and contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
On Tuesday, a small bear was spotted near Eddy Hall in the morning as Colorado State University students moved into their new homes on the campus in Fort Collins. A few hours after the original sighting, the bear was tranquilized so it could be relocated.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has received more than 6,000 bear sighting reports so far this year, which is roughly double from the same period last year. Wildlife officials say recent drought conditions have reduced natural food sources in parts of Colorado, pushing bears out of the mountains and into communities in search of food.
