A bear wandered into a home in Mt. Crested Butte and ended up sparking a kitchen fire, according to local firefighters.
The Crested Butte Fire Protection District said on Facebook that crews were called out to a residential fire in the Mt. Crested Butte area. Officials said law enforcement handled the bear situation safely, and the blaze was limited to the kitchen. Thankfully nobody was injured.
With bears growing more active because of drought conditions, the fire district shared some basic tips for avoiding run-ins: keep doors and windows locked when you’re out or sleeping, secure food and trash (including pet food), clean up grills and any food debris outside, and never try to handle a bear yourself. If a bear does show up in or near your house, get to safety and call Colorado Parks and Wildlife right away.
This incident comes amid a sharp rise in bear activity statewide with Colorado Parks and Wildlife has logging 6,000+ bear sighting reports this year alone (twice as many as last year). Officials point to drought as a key factor, since it’s thinning out natural food supplies in the mountains and driving bears down into populated areas to forage.
As bears become more active, please help prevent wildlife encounters by:
-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
A few simple precautions can help protect your home, your family, and our local wildlife
