Officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife responded to two separate bear attacks across the state this week, adding to what officials described as a record number of bear reports this year.

The two attacks occurred early Monday in Steamboat Springs and early Wednesday in Aspen. In the Steamboat incident, a woman reported that a bear entered her residence through a sliding-glass door at about 1 a.m.

The woman attempted to scare the bear away when it struck her in the face. She was able to self-transport to a local hospital and was later released to recuperate at home.

She reported the incident to officials on Tuesday. CPW determined the bear gained entry to the home by damaging the wooden frame of the sliding door and knocking it off its track.

The attack comes after a black bear and two cubs were spotted at the Ore House restaurant Sunday evening in Steamboat. The cubs were spotted by diners as they climbed trees near a wooden fence at the edge of the restaurant’s outdoor seating area before the bear entered the seating area, as witnessed by a Denver Gazette reporter.

The second attack happened around 3 a.m. Wednesday in Rio Grande Park in Aspen. A homeless man was sleeping in a park when a bear approached him and bit him on the head, waking him up.

The man was able to escape and get help. He was hospitalized for facial injuries and later released. The bear was later found by CPW officials and “humanely euthanized” in line with CPW policy.

The bear’s carcass has been sent to CPW’s Wildlife Health Lab in Fort Collins, where a necropsy will be performed.

Other recent reports of bears include one who died in Colorado Springs after it entered an unlocked car and destroyed it in an attempt to escape. Ultimately the bear died after it could not leave the car and was stuck inside for several days.

In another incident in Mt. Crested Butte, a bear entered a home and unintentionally started a fire in the kitchen.

A bear wandered onto Colorado State University’s campus in Fort Collins on move-in day Tuesday, creating an unexpected welcome for about 3,200 students settling into the university before classes begin next week, according to 9NEWS.

The about 2-year-old bear was spotted outside Eddy Hall as students and families moved into campus housing. CPW rangers tranquilized the animal before relocating it.

In the wake of the attacks, CPW officials are urging the public to remove bear attractants and to stay vigilant when outdoors. CPW said the current drought is driving a record increase in bear activity across Colorado.

Between January and August, CPW has responded to 6,129 reports of bear sightings and conflicts, which is nearly double the number of sightings during the same time frame last year. Officials said those sightings could only increase as fall approaches, as bears will enter a crucial period prior to winter, as they can spend up to 20 hours a day searching for food to build fat reserves.

In a news release, CPW said the search for food this year has been especially challenging this year.

“Low mountain snowpack, wildfires and drought have reduced the availability of natural foods such as berries, fruits, nuts, plants and grasses in parts of Colorado,” the release said. “Consequently, bears are traveling farther into residential neighborhoods in search of easy calorie sources such as unsecured trash, birdseed, pet food and barbecue grills.”

Should you encounter a bear, before it sees you, CPW said not to approach it. Stop what you’re doing and quietly move away. If it sees you, back away slowly. Do not run, as that may encourage the bear to chase you.

Should the bear start approaching you, stand your ground, wave your arms and yell until it leaves. If the bear makes contact with you, do not play dead and fight back aggressively.

To prevent bears from approaching your home, safely store trash in locked containers. Do not leave your pet’s food outdoors, and make sure to clean all grills after use.

If a bear enters your home, leave if you can and call 911.

The Denver Gazette’s news partners, 9NEWS, contributed to this report.