California town facing bear ‘invasion’

SOME CAUGHT ON CAMERA BREAKING INTO HOMES, EVEN CARS. ERIN LOPEZ REPORTS. >> THE COMMUNITY OF PINE MOUNTAIN BLUFF, CALIFORNIA, HAS ALWAYS BEEN SURROUNDED BY WILD LIFE. >> THIS DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THAT I'M HERE. >> Reporter: NOW IT'S TURNED INTO WHAT SOME HERE ARE CALLING AN INVASION. BEARS NOW OUT OF THEED ON ARE WOODS AND CRAWLING ON TO PATIOS. SOMEHOW OPENING CAR DOORS. >> HOLY [ BLEEP ]. >> Reporter: EVEN BREAKING INTO HOMES. >> GET! GET! >> Reporter: THIS ONE CHASED AWAY BY A NON-LETHAL GUN. >> Reporter: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE BEAR SITUATION HERE? >> HONESTLY, OUT OF CONTROL. >> Reporter: IAN WOKE UP SHOCKED AS HE SPOTTED A BEAR OPENING HIS FRIDGE. >> I SAID WHO WAS IN THE KITCHEN AND THE BEAR REPLIED WITH A STURDY GROWL AND I HIT THE STUN GUN AND THE ELECTRIFIED SOUND MADE HIM JUMP BACK OUT OF THE WINDOW WHERE HE CAME IN. >> Reporter: THERE HAVE BEEN 560 BEAR-RELATED INCIDENTS ALREADY FAR HIGHER FROM THE 319 FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. >> YOU'RE GOING ON BEAR PATROL? >> Reporter: SAM PATROLS THE TOWN NIGHTLY LOOKING FOR BEARS. WITHIN LESS THAN AN HOUR. >> THERE'S A BEAR! >> Reporter: WE SAW TWO OF THEM. >> WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? >> Reporter: HIS GOAL, TO SCARE THEM AWAY. ACROSS THE WEST, BEARS WANDERING AWAY FROM THEIR NATURAL HABITATS INFILTRATING SUBURBAN TOWNS, BACKYARD POOLS AND EVEN GROCERY STORES. SOME EXPERTS SAY RAGING WILDFIRES AND DROUGHT HAVE FORCED THEM TO LOOK FOR FOOD ELSEWHERE. IN PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, SOME BLAME THE WILDFIRES. >> WHAT ARE YOU DOING? GET DOWN. GET DOWN! >> Reporter: OTHERS SEE ANOTHER CULPRIT. >> WE'VE GOT A FEW RESIDENTS WHO THINK IT'S THEIR JOB TO FEED THE BEARS. SO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE AUTHORITIES TO DEAL WITH THAT. >> Reporter: NOW HOMEOWNERS ARE DOING WHATEVER THEY CAN TO KEEP BEARS FROM BREAKING IN. IAN'S PROPERTY FORTIFIED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRE. >> I LOVE OUR WILD LIFE, BUT I ALSO LOVE MY HOME AND MY FAMILY. >> THE PROBLEM SO DIRE THAT DOZENS OF HOMES NOW BOARDED UP LIKE THIS ONE AFTER BEARS BARGED THROUGH. >> WE ARE ANTICIPATING IT GETTING MUCH, MUCH WORSE. >> THIS IS YOUR NEW REALITY. >> THIS IS OUR NEW REAL

Channel: NBC News

Views: 87,181

Keywords: Health, International News, Lester Holt, Making A Difference, NBC Nightly News, National News, News, Nightly News, U.S. News, breaking news, evening news, politics, world news

Id: l5BiHU6Xm_E

Length: 2min 42sec (162 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 29 2024