KING5.com
Posted on August 12, 2011 at 9:15 AM

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – A civilian employee was injured by a bear he encountered on the base Thursday afternoon.

It happened around 12:45 p.m. as the man, in his 50s, was walking his dog in an area called the Engineer’s Bluff, which is southwest of the main base area. A JBLM spokesman describes it as a heavily forested area.

The man was chased out by the bear, but he fell to the ground. The bear took a swipe at the man as it ran past.

The employee was treated for cuts and scrapes to his arm and leg at Madigan Army Hospital.

The area was cordoned off as a search was conducted for the bear by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The spokesperson did not know Friday morning if the bear had been captured.

Spotting bears at JBLM isn’t considered an unusual occurrence because of the large wooded area on base property. Three bears have been located and trapped in the last 45 days.