Picture this: You’ve just returned home after being forced to evacuate due to a wildfire. You’re finally back, ready to assess the damage and start rebuilding—only to find a 525-pound black bear lounging in the crawl space under your house. Yes, this actually happened in Altadena, Calif., last week.

The homeowner, Samy Arbid, discovered the uninvited guest using his Ring camera. “I couldn’t believe it,” he told local news. The bear had apparently been hanging out there even before the devastating Eaton fire, which delayed efforts to evict him.

When workers from SoCalGas showed up to restore power, they quickly realized they couldn’t proceed—not with a massive bear still chilling underneath. (Can you blame them?)

Kevin Howells, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, explained that this isn’t an unusual situation in the area. Homes in California’s foothill communities often don’t have basements, making crawl spaces a tempting spot for bears to crash.

The team eventually lured the bear out with a feast of rotisserie chicken and sardines, among other tasty treats. After that, the furry squatter was safely relocated.

If you ever needed proof that life can be stranger than fiction, this story is it. Turns out, bears really do know how to pick the coziest spots—even if it’s under your house.