Man returns home after California wildfires, finds bear living under house

LOS ANGELES (CNN) – A man who returned home after evacuating last month’s devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area made a startling discovery.

Samy Arbid said he found a black bear living under his Altadena home after the Eaton fire raced through the city.

The fire scorched more than 14,000 acres and ranks among the state’s top three most destructive wildfires.

The 525-pound bear survived the fire while living under Arbid’s house.

The bear was no stranger to the neighborhood before the fire.

Residents even gave him a name, calling him Barry.

Neighbors described him as a mellow bear who minded his own business.

Arbid said he recently heard noises under the house and discovered the bear.

He contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Eventually, workers were able to lure the bear out of the crawl space he was living in, and they eventually took him to the Angeles National Forest.