Bear Strolls Into Fire Station | Colorado Springs News

A bear casually strolled into a Colorado Springs fire station, grabbed a gear bag, and sauntered out—nicknamed “Smokey the Bear” by firefighters. This isn’t an oddity; it’s part of a surge in black bear sightings across Colorado, with over 6,000 logged this year—nearly double last year and on track to be the highest since 2019. Officials are urging residents to be “bear aware”: secure trash, remove bird feeders, keep pet food indoors, and never feed bears. The uptick is especially sharp in southeast Colorado, sparking dangerous encounters—including a tragic case of a bear trapped in a car—and prompting Parks and Wildlife to ramp up public education efforts statewide. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/daa0242efc8ed16f