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Watch: 'Cinnamon' the bear spotted in backyard pool for first time since LA fires

Watch: 'Cinnamon' the bear spotted in backyard pool for first time since LA fires

USA Today10-06-2025

Watch: 'Cinnamon' the bear spotted in backyard pool for first time since LA fires
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Cinnamon the bear makes poolside return
A neighborhood bear was seen for the first time since the Eaton Fire in January, taking a dip in a homeowners' pool.
A local bear beloved in a Los Angeles County neighborhood made a splashy return to the public eye after not being spotted for nearly half a year.
Residents in the city of Pasadena had begun to miss "Cinnamon" the bear, who was no where to seen since the Eaton Fire devastated the city in January. However on Wednesday, June 4, resident Ramona Mucciolo found the cherished mammal taking a dip at her home pool.
Surveillance footage shared online shows Cinnamon chilling around the pool, cooling down ahead of the summertime.
"I was in the kitchen looking out and she walked around to the shallow end and got in," Mucciolo told Storyful.
Mucciolo said she lived across the street from the San Gabriel Mountains, which the destructive wildfire wrecked the area, particularly California's Altadena community. The Eaton Fire, along with the Palisades Fire burned over 37,000 acres for nearly a month killing at least 29 people.
"Several bears frequented our neighborhood," she said. "Since the fire, none had returned until June 4, when Cinnamon showed up and relaxed in our pool. We rejoice at least one bear has survived the fires."
525-pound bear remerged from fires in February
Cinnamon is not the only bear to rise from the ashes.
In February, a 525-pound black bear was found hiding under the home of Altadena resident Samy Arbid, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The adult male, well-known to neighborhood residents as Barry, was discovered crouched in a crawl space beneath the home when a utility provider came to restore power.
Bear finds refuge under an Altadena home during Eaton Fire
A 525-pound bear was found under an Altadena home after the deadly Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, he was lured out to safety with treats.
"I think during the fire he pretty much stayed there. I think he was scared," Arbid told local media outlets, according to Storyful, adding he "couldn't believe it."
After a nearly 24 hour process, Barry exited the crawlspace and triggered the trap door within minutes from CDFW officials placing a trap. He was then transported to the Angeles National Forest, received a welfare check and a GPS collar before safely returning to the wild.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY

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