I haven't heard any comments from campers who take their dog along on trips.  Do the bears come into camp when a dog is there?

RE: Bear mortality/mentality after the Pagami fire...I have no idea, but agree that they do frequent the burns the next summer to forage.
When the bear population dropped off, 10-15 years ago, some researchers said it was due to a couple extra long winters which kept the bears in the dens so long that they starved to death.