Paradise Fire Elk Carcass-Bear Hazard Mitigation 2026

On August 9, during suppression operations on the Paradise Fire, located on the Oregon/Washington border, crews found an elk carcass actively guarded by bears in a stream in the Mill Creek watershed. In consultation between aviation, operations, risk management, city water experts and safety officers, a plan was developed to first issue bear spray and then to extract the elk carcass by helicopter. The mission was performed successfully on August 13.