Forester rescues bear cub out of charred fire zone
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Animals have adapted over thousands of years to natural disasters like fires by fleeing or seeking shelter. But this year’s earlier start to the fire season has put younger animals at risk, wildlife experts say.
The result? Li’l Smokey, a black bear cub, was found badly burned and was rescued this week by Adam Deem, 32, of Anderson, Calif., a forester with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Deem was working the burned area from the Moon fire in Northern California, one of 158 fires started by lightning nearly a month ago. In the last month alone, the state at one point had more than 1,700 fires burning.
Li’l Smokey, weighing 8 1/2 pounds and estimated to be 6 months old, is now at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care in South Lake Tahoe, one of the only centers in the state where cubs can be treated and taught survival skills until ready to return to the wild.
Check out Li’l Smokey’s story in today’s paper.
--Tami Abdollah
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