A mother bear and her three cubs were freed Saturday after more than half a day trapped inside a water storage tank in La Verne, California.
Eric McDonald and Jamie Kirk, residents of nearby Glendora, discovered the distressed bear family around 8 a.m. While checking the concrete cistern. The couple climbed to the top and immediately spotted trouble through a small opening.
“We climbed up top, and there’s a small hole and right away we see a bear staring at us, kind of holding on to the walls because it was full of water,” Kirk said.
The bears had likely been seeking relief from hot and humid conditions when they found the narrow, one-foot-wide entry point atop the structure. Once inside the dark tank, escape proved impossible.
Before any rescue attempt could begin, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife drained the remaining water to eliminate drowning risk. The original opening was too small for either firefighters to enter or the adult bear to exit.
Firefighters launched “Operation Care Bear” and used a power saw to carve a larger access hole into the tank’s side. They then lowered a ladder inside, constructing a makeshift ramp for the animals to climb.
One cub had already demonstrated considerable initiative. That young bear managed to escape on its own earlier during the ordeal, though it remained separated from its family until the rescue’s conclusion.
“They were exhausted, so it took a few minutes for the first cub to come out, then the second cub got out, and then finally the mother,” said LAFD’s Keith Navarre.
Rescue footage captured the mother’s cautious emergence. She paused at the opening, surveying her surroundings while first responders worked to keep her calm during the delicate operation.
The remaining two cubs required additional encouragement before making their way up the ladder and through the newly created exit. All three bears who needed assistance eventually followed the path to freedom.
Authorities confirmed that the independent cub who had escaped earlier was safely reunited with its mother and siblings. The complete family group then trotted back into the wild together, ending a harrowing confinement that had stretched past 12 hours inside the concrete structure.
The successful operation drew on coordination between local fire crews and state wildlife officials, with the ladder-and-ramp solution allowing the bears to self-rescue under careful human supervision.
The incident highlighted ongoing challenges as California’s bear populations navigate developed areas during periods of extreme heat and drought conditions.