Massive 525-pound bear found hiding under California home weeks after wildfires

The wildfires that tore through the Los Angeles area in early January left not just people, but also animals scrambling for safety. Among those seeking shelter was an unexpected visitor—a 525-pound black bear.

Altadena resident Samy Arbid had evacuated along with his neighbors when the Eaton Fire broke out on January 7. But upon returning home, he was met with a shocking surprise—the massive bear had taken refuge under his house.

On January 29, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife addressed the unusual incident in a Facebook post. Samy Arbid, still stunned by what he had encountered, shared his thoughts with local media.

“I think he stayed there throughout the fire—he must have been terrified,” Arbid said, recalling the moment he locked eyes with the massive black bear hiding in his crawl space. “I couldn’t believe it.”

According to ABC7, the bear wasn’t a total stranger to the neighborhood. In fact, locals had seen him around before and even given him a name—Barry.

After discovering Barry in the crawl space, Samy Arbid and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) began working on a plan to safely remove him. Given the bear’s massive size, officials quickly realized that tranquilizing him wasn’t a viable option.

CDFW experts, led by environmental scientist Kevin Howells, assessed the situation and concluded that the best approach was to set up a bear trap near the crawl space entrance. The trap was stocked with an enticing mix of treats—including apples, peanut butter, and even a whole rotisserie chicken. Their strategy paid off, and Barry was successfully lured inside, with the door shutting behind him, bringing relief to both officials and the homeowner.

After that Barry was taken to the Angeles National Forest where he received a welfare check, fitted with a GPS tracker, and safely released back into the wild. The CDFW said that the entire operation lasted for about 24 hours. Arbid and his family have made altercations to their property so that no other animal can crawl in the space and start living there.


CDFW also issued an advisory for people to keep note of any such animals they find hiding. They advised people to inform the authorities, “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."