Bear bites firefighter in shoe fire, CDFW investigates incident

SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. (KRCR) – A firefighter was bitten by a bear while fighting a fire in Shasta County on Tuesday evening.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said the firefighter leading the Shoe Fire was bitten by a sleeping bear Tuesday evening in Shasta County.

North West Team 12 (NWT) said the firefighter was sleeping in the back of a pickup truck when he felt a jolt that woke him from his sleep. When he woke up, he saw a bear, which then bit him and ran away. It was confirmed that the firefighter was bitten on his rear end.

The firefighter said the bear appeared to be young, but was not a cub.

The CDFW said the firefighter was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

The NWT said the firefighter returned to work the next day after receiving a tetanus shot and was at the scene of the Shoe Fire.

This incident is being actively investigated by the CDFW.