Bear Family Rescue | La Verne Water Tank Incident Details

Discovery at Marshall Canyon

A mother bear and her three cubs survived a dangerous fall into a water tank at Marshall Canyon County Park in La Verne on Saturday morning. Hikers stumbled upon the trapped animals around 8 a.m. The cistern was partially filled with water, forcing the bears to struggle to keep their heads above the surface.

Jamie Kirk, one of the hikers who found the family, described the scene to local reporters. She noted that the bears were clinging to the slick walls of the tank while one cub remained perched in a nearby tree after managing to escape the initial drop. Tyler Christensen, another hiker on the trail, said the animals appeared frightened and exhausted as they clung to a small internal pole inside the structure. The hikers alerted local authorities to the situation, triggering a coordinated response from nearby emergency services.

The Rescue Operation

Responders from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived on the scene alongside officials from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. The team focused on the immediate task of removing the water from the tank to prevent drowning while the animals remained trapped. Once the water level receded to a manageable depth, the firefighters shifted tactics to provide the animals with an exit route.

Crews widened a small existing hole at the top of the cistern to create a larger opening for the bears. They lowered a sturdy ladder into the enclosure, which allowed the mother and her two trapped cubs to climb out on their own. A video recorded by fire personnel shows one cub scrambling up the ladder and leaping toward the forest floor as it regained its freedom. The mother and her offspring departed the area immediately after the rescue and did not cause further issues for the responding crews.

Implications for Local Wildlife

This incident highlights the ongoing interaction between urban expansion and native wildlife in the foothills east of Los Angeles. La Verne sits approximately 30 miles from the downtown core, positioning residential areas directly against established habitats. Open water sources like agricultural cisterns and residential pools often act as traps for curious animals searching for hydration during the hot California summer months. Wildlife experts frequently warn that these man-made structures present significant hazards to local species.

Local authorities often advise property owners to secure water tanks with heavy lids or provide escape ramps for animals that accidentally fall inside. While this particular rescue ended without injury to the bears or the personnel involved, the frequency of such encounters remains a concern for conservationists. Moving forward, hikers and residents in these regions are encouraged to report trapped animals immediately rather than attempting to intervene themselves. The safety of both the public and the wildlife depends on professional intervention from agencies equipped to manage the inherent risks of such close-range animal interactions.