Bear survives wildfires and recovers remarkably

Among the bears heading into hibernation this winter is a little cub named "Cinder." As that name implies, she was wounded by a wildfire but has made a remarkable recovery. Today, she reached a huge milestone.

This summer's Carlton complex fire was the largest ever to hit Washington State. Nearly 300 homes were destroyed as well as 400 square miles of wildlife habitat. It's unknown how many animals may have died, but somehow this little cub survived.

Her rescuers named the baby black bear "Cinder." Her paws, singed with third-degree burns, her face and chest were also badly burned.

Cinder's road to recovery began when she was airlifted to a wildlife care center in Lake Tahoe, Calif.

She was scarred and malnourished when the veterinarians began the process of rehab -- with lots of TLC. Bandages were changed every other day and she consumed a steady diet of fresh fish and fruit.

Three months later, her weight has nearly tripled and her paws have healed.

This morning came the announcement via Facebook: Cinder is going home! First stop, a rehab center in Idaho and then come spring, back to the woods of Washington.

The landscape has changed significantly, but at least one resilient cub is proving you can go home again.