Wildlife group calls for investigation after bear cub burned in slash pile

A black bear cub found in the snow in sub-zero temperatures faces a long road to recovery, after rescuers discovered the animal had also been badly burned.

A B.C. wildlife protection organization is calling for an investigation after a bear cub was injured in a slash pile burn last month.

The Fur-Bearers says it filed a report with the Natural Resource Officer Service on Dec. 29, 2025, just over a week after the animal was rescued in northern B.C., citing concerns the cub may have been burned as a result of possible violations of provincial regulations.

“We believe this situation could have been prevented,” Leslie Fox, the executive director of the North Vancouver-based organization, wrote in an email to CTV News.

She says bears and other wildlife are known to den in slash piles, woodpiles and other debris. While slash pile burning is legal under B.C.’s wildfire and forestry laws, operators are expected to assess burn sites and take reasonable steps to prevent harm to wildlife.

“Based on the information shared with us, there are concerns that burning requirements may not have been followed,” Fox explained. “There are also remaining concerns about what happened to this cub’s mother, and potentially they also had a sibling.”

Bear cub’s road to recovery

On Dec. 20, volunteers with the Northern Lights Wildlife Society were called to a site near Dawson Creek where a local had discovered a one-year-old bear cub in distress in sub-zero temperatures.

After receiving permission from the province, the volunteers transported the bear via crate back to the society’s rehab centre in Smithers. As they warmed the animal up, they realized that in addition to suffering from exposure, the cub had significant burns on its feet, fur and face.

Northern Lights Wildlife Society’s founder Angelika Langden says the cub, which has since been named Valkyrie, has been healing a lot faster than anticipated, in part thanks to medicine donated by a burn specialist in Alberta.

“It’s quite mind-blowing,” Langden told CTV News. “There’s been a lot of community response. We’re getting constant messages. The involvement of the public is high.”

The plan is to release the cub back in the wild, near the area she was found, sometime this spring.

Advocating for Valkyrie

As Valkyrie heals, The Fur-Bearers is advocating for the cub’s well-being from more than 1,000 kilometres away.

“Our role as a wildlife protection organization includes upholding legislation to protect fur-bearing animals,” Fox said, adding the group regularly engages with government officials and enforcement agencies—particularly when there is strong public interest.

Fox said she hopes the report to the National Resource Officer Service leads to an investigation, while acknowledging her organization may not receive details of the outcome.

“In the meantime, our message for all landowners is when burning slash piles, please be extra cautious,” said Fox. “You never know who is fast asleep under all that debris!”

In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the Forests Ministry wrote: “Regarding the investigation, as it is ongoing, we cannot comment on it at this time.”