Bear trouble in Sierra Madre: After the Eaton fire, home invasions rise sharply

This June, Sierra Madre recorded 41 instances of bears entering homes — more than triple last June’s tally.

A bear linked to the break-ins was euthanized and complaints dropped off. But city officials say they are still grappling with increased bear activity.

“With the fires, the weather and the dryness and heat, they’re coming down,” said a Sierra Madre police lieutenant.

Police and wildlife officials were bombarded for weeks with reports of bears barging into homes in Sierra Madre, smashing windows and slashing screen doors.

So the California Department of Fish and Wildlife decided to kill the 300-pound female bear believed to be the culprit. State biologists set up a trap and the bear soon lumbered into it.

The bear was tranquilized and later shot and killed last month after wildli