Sierra Madre officials report sharp rise in bear intrusions, urge public to call 911 for imminent threats

Police Chief Gus Barrientos told the Sierra Madre City Council on July 8 that the city has seen a marked increase in bear activity this year, including a sharp rise in June that the department is treating as an anomaly and a public-safety concern. "We are in direct contact with both the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Bear Lovers of Sierra Madre," Barrientos said, describing daily coordination as agencies and volunteers set traps and monitored sightings.

Barrientos presented the department's incident tracking and said the department began systematic tracking in 2023. He reported roughly 200 bear-related calls for service year to date and said the department projects calls could reach the low-to-mid 400s by year end. He said June alone produced about 120 calls for service, compared with about 73 calls in June 2024.

The chief distinguished home intrusions from attempted intrusions. He reported 41 confirmed…