Latest news with #SamyArbid
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Video shows 525-pound bear finally emerge from underneath California home after wildfires
When a resident in Southern California returned home in the aftermath of devastating wildfires, an unlikely guest was there to greet him: a huge 525-pound black bear. Altadena resident Samy Arbid and his neighbors had evacuated their homes due to the Eaton Fires. When they returned, Arbid found the unexpected guest hiding in his house that escaped from the fire, California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Jan. 29 post on Facebook. The "massive, 525-pound adult male bear" was found in a crawl space beneath the home when a utility company came to restore power in the house. 'I think during the fire he pretty much stayed there. I think he was scared,' Arbid told local media outlets, according to Storyful, adding he "couldn't believe it" when he saw the animal in the crawl space. The bear, nicknamed Barry, is well-known to neighborhood residents, who have seen him roaming around the area, ABC7 reported. According to the local media outlet, the bear had been in the crawl space before the fires broke out and Arbid had been devising a plan to remove it. "After assessing the crawlspace and size of bear, it became clear that chemical immobilization of the bear was not an option," CDFW said, adding their team of experts led by CDFW environmental scientist Kevin Howells "determined a bear trap placed near the crawlspace opening would be the best decision given the situation." Fortunately for them, the bear came out of the crawlspace and triggered the trap door within minutes of placing the trap, CDFW said. Once in the trap, the bear was taken to Angeles National Forest, where it received a welfare check and a GPS collar before being safely released back into the wild just after midnight. Video footage captured by the homeowner's security camera shows the bear coming out of the crawl space after spotting the treats the department had laid out for him. Treats included a feast of apples, peanut butter, sardines in tomato sauce, chicken meat and butterscotch lure, a CDFW spokesperson told USA TODAY. The effort took Howells and his team of eight nearly 24 hours, CDFW said. The homeowner's utilities, meanwhile, were also restored, while the "crawl space was securely boarded and is now bear-proof," CDFW said, urging residents in the foothills of bear country to close crawl spaces with bear-proof material to prevent bears from denning there and damaging property. CDFW also advises homeowners to reach out to the department if they ever find a bear in a crawlspace so "that a wildlife professional can evaluate the situation and help determine ways that the homeowner can discourage the bear from using the crawlspace and seal the entrance immediately once the animal is out." The Eaton and Palisades fires, which sparked last month, have been fully contained after dealing destruction, smoke, and ash around the Los Angeles area, according to Cal Fire. The two fires sparked on Jan. 7 during a historic wind event and swept through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing at least 29, burning over 37,000 acres, or 57.8 square miles, and leaving destroyed homes and livelihoods in their wake. The blazes, currently under investigation, are the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history, according to Cal Fire. Contributing: James Powel, USA TODAY Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch: Huge bear hiding under Altadena home removed after Eaton Fire
USA Today
04-02-2025
- General
- USA Today
Video shows 525-pound bear finally emerge from underneath California home after wildfires
Video shows 525-pound bear finally emerge from underneath California home after wildfires When a resident in Southern California returned home in the aftermath of devastating wildfires, an unlikely guest was there to greet him: a huge 525-pound black bear. Altadena resident Samy Arbid and his neighbors had evacuated their homes due to the Eaton Fires. When they returned, Arbid found the unexpected guest hiding in his house that escaped from the fire, California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Jan. 29 post on Facebook. The "massive, 525-pound adult male bear" was found in a crawl space beneath the home when a utility company came to restore power in the house. 'I think during the fire he pretty much stayed there. I think he was scared,' Arbid told local media outlets, according to Storyful, adding he "couldn't believe it" when he saw the animal in the crawl space. The bear, nicknamed Barry, is well-known to neighborhood residents, who have seen him roaming around the area, ABC7 reported. According to the local media outlet, the bear had been in the crawl space before the fires broke out and Arbid had been devising a plan to remove it. Video shows bear crawl out from underneath home Bear finds refuge under an Altadena home during Eaton Fire A 525-pound bear was found under an Altadena home after the deadly Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, he was lured out to safety with treats. "After assessing the crawlspace and size of bear, it became clear that chemical immobilization of the bear was not an option," CDFW said, adding their team of experts led by CDFW environmental scientist Kevin Howells "determined a bear trap placed near the crawlspace opening would be the best decision given the situation." Fortunately for them, the bear came out of the crawlspace and triggered the trap door within minutes of placing the trap, CDFW said. Once in the trap, the bear was taken to Angeles National Forest, where it received a welfare check and a GPS collar before being safely released back into the wild just after midnight. Video footage captured by the homeowner's security camera shows the bear coming out of the crawl space after spotting the treats the department had laid out for him. Treats included a feast of apples, peanut butter, sardines in tomato sauce, chicken meat and butterscotch lure, a CDFW spokesperson told USA TODAY. The effort took Howells and his team of eight nearly 24 hours, CDFW said. Crawl space bear-proofed The homeowner's utilities, meanwhile, were also restored, while the "crawl space was securely boarded and is now bear-proof," CDFW said, urging residents in the foothills of bear country to close crawl spaces with bear-proof material to prevent bears from denning there and damaging property. CDFW also advises homeowners to reach out to the department if they ever find a bear in a crawlspace so "that a wildlife professional can evaluate the situation and help determine ways that the homeowner can discourage the bear from using the crawlspace and seal the entrance immediately once the animal is out." California wildfires contained The Eaton and Palisades fires, which sparked last month, have been fully contained after dealing destruction, smoke, and ash around the Los Angeles area, according to Cal Fire. The two fires sparked on Jan. 7 during a historic wind event and swept through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing at least 29, burning over 37,000 acres, or 57.8 square miles, and leaving destroyed homes and livelihoods in their wake. The blazes, currently under investigation, are the second and third most destructive wildfires in California history, according to Cal Fire. Contributing: James Powel, USA TODAY Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch: Eaton Fire evacuee finds bear in his crawlspace upon return home
Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A California man returned to his Altadena home after the Eaton Fire and discovered a 525-pound bear had taken up residence in his crawlspace. "The homeowner, along with neighbors in Altadena, had been evacuated due to the Eaton Fire," the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said on social media. "Once they returned, the utility company informed the resident that power couldn't be restored, as there was a bear under the home where the company needed to work." The homeowner, Samy Arbid, said the bear is well known to residents as a resident of the Eaton Canyon. Neighbors have variously nicknamed him Berry and Victor. "I think during the fire he pretty much stayed in there," Arbid told KCAL-TV. "I think he was scared." CDFW officials set a trap for the bear and made sure it was well-baited. "So, they went to Stater Brothers and bought some rotisserie chicken and sardines and tomato sauce, apples, peanut butter -- all kinds of stuff," Arbid said. "They made a feast for him." The bear was successfully lured out of its hiding place and trapped for relocation. "The biologist actually said it was the biggest bear he's ever seen in person," Arbid said. Neighbors said they were happy to hear the bear was not harmed. "He's pretty harmless," nearby resident Patty Smith said. "He just wants some good trash, like we all like some good trash." The bear was fitted with a GPS collar and released into the Angeles National Forest. Arbid's power was restored and his crawlspace has now been boarded up and bear-proofed.
CBS News
31-01-2025
- General
- CBS News
Bear found hiding under Altadena home after Eaton Fire
Samy Arbid had a surprise guest hiding out at his Altadena home when he finally returned to the neighborhood after the Eaton Fire. Cozied up in his crawlspace was a 525-pound bear. "We ended up putting a ring camera with a light on it under the crawlspace and found out we have a giant bear under there," Arbid said. "It was nerve-wracking for a while." Arbid said some neighbors knew the bear as Berry while others called him Victor. No matter what his name was, the community knew he lived just around the corner in Eaton Canyon, which is where the recent wildfire started. "I think during the fire he pretty much stayed in there," Arbid said. "I think he was scared." So Cal Gas crews were also scared since they couldn't access the meter to turn the gas back on after the fire once they found a bear there. To help usher the bear along, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife set up a trap to tempting for it to ignore. "So, they went to Stater Brothers and bought some rotisserie chicken and sardines and tomato sauce, apples, peanut butter — all kinds of stuff," Arbid said. "They made a feast for him." Luckily, the platter lured the bear out. Since the bear was too large to tranquilize, experts trapped it and moved it. "The biologist actually said it was the biggest bear he's ever seen in person," Arbid said. Neighbors were happy to hear that it was fine and had a good meal. "He's pretty harmless," neighbor Patty Smith said. "He just wants some good trash, like we all like some good trash." Smith said she's been worried about all the wildlife in her neighborhood because they suffered through the fire, too. "I don't know if he was injured," she said. "I don't know if his paws were singed or anything like that but he found safety under there." Wildlife officials fitted a GPS collar and relocated the bear back to the Angeles National Forest.
