A woman was injured in a bear attack Monday evening while walking her dog on the Cedar Flats trail complex north of Columbia Falls. State and federal wildlife investigators are investigating the attack and have not yet determined what species of bear was involved in it.
According to a Tuesday morning press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), the attack occurred around 7 p.m. on Aug. 31. Investigators with FWP and the U.S. Forest Service were assisted by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office as they searched for the bear overnight, using a thermal infrared drone in an unsuccessful attempt to locate it. The Forest Service has closed the area as a public safety precaution.
The woman sustained significant injuries and was taken to Logan Health Medical Center for treatment. The investigation is ongoing, and both agencies declined to release further details Tuesday.
FWP recommends carrying accessible bear spray, staying alert in low-visibility areas, traveling in groups, making noise near dense vegetation or water, avoiding dawn, dusk and nighttime travel, and steering clear of areas where animal carcasses are present.
More safety information is available here.