There were several black bear sightings in the Newport Hills area this summer, but Washington Fish and Wildlife expects those reports to drop significantly with the change in seasons.

Bellevue Park Ranger Laura Harper with the Lake Hills Greenbelt station said black bears are bulking up for the winter, which prompted the city to warn residents about taking steps to discourage them from scouring their homes, such as securing garbage cans and keeping pet food indoors.

“They get this craving, essentially to just keep eating and eating, and they’ll get a little more bold in their efforts,” she said.

But Sgt. Kim Chandler with Fish and Wildlife’s District 4 office in Mill Creek said reports of black bear sightings tend to drop by August, when natural fruit becomes more available.

Chandler said King County had receive about 530 bear complaints this year, as of Tuesday, and two of those were received that morning. He added the bear population here is far less than the number of complaints the agency receives. Of all of those complaints, he said only one black bear had to be trapped and eventually euthanized east of Issaquah due to its aggressive behavior.

“These bears are not aggressive, they’re just a nuisance,” Chandler said.

Hibernation typically starts in mid-November, but that start time can be affected by the weather, Chandler said. While reports may be dropping, he added there is still about two months left where the bears will remain active.

In case of wildlife problems, Fish and Wildlife can be contacted at 425-775-1311.