A massive, 525-pound adult male bear was hiding there following the deadly 14,000-acre blaze, and preventing utility workers from restoring the home’s power. During fires, animals fleeing the flames often wander into densely human-populated areas.

Samy Arbid had a surprise guest hiding out at his Altadena home when he finally returned to the neighborhood after the Eaton Fire.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife found that the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County displaced more than just the residents, as they worked to remove a large bear from a crawl space under a house in Altadena.

Wildlife officials rescued a 525-pound bear found hiding underneath a home that was evacuated during the Eaton Fire. When evacuations were lifted and the owner of the Altadena home returned, their utility company said power couldn’t be restored since a large bear was residing in the crawl space where workers needed to access.

A California man returned to his Altadena home after the Eaton Fire and discovered a 525-pound bear had taken up residence in his crawlspace.

As evacuation orders were lifted in the Eaton Fire area, one resident returned home to find a bear in a crawl space underneath their Altadena home.