A group of 13 young hikers who went missing in the heart of a devastating California wildfire have been found alive after a desperate search.
At approximately 7:20 a.m. Monday, the sheriff’s office announced that its helicopter had located the missing group amid the devastating fires that have burned 5,000 acres.
“Search and rescue teams will be dispatched to walk with them,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The group, aged between 16 and 20, are believed to have been trapped somewhere within the reach of the inferno, authorities revealed in a chilling early morning update.
The Royal Fire started Sunday night in the Tahoe National Forest, spreading rapidly to 168 acres.
A group of 13 young hikers who went missing amid a devastating California wildfire have been found alive after a desperate search.
At approximately 7:20 a.m. Monday, the sheriff’s office announced that its helicopter had located the missing group.
Tahoe National Forest officials believe the fire was sparked by an escaped campfire.
Officers first discovered four abandoned vehicles near Palisades Creek Trail on Sunday.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office confirmed at 6:30 a.m. that its search and rescue team had been dispatched to locate the missing teens and young adults.
Authorities also said they deployed a helicopter to comb the smoke-filled terrain from above in a desperate attempt to find the missing hikers.
“The Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team is working to locate them. Our helicopter will also be in the air searching. We will continue to update you as the search progresses,” they said.
Authorities have also deployed a helicopter to comb the smoke-filled terrain from above in a desperate bid to find the missing hikers.
They believe the hikers intended to camp beyond the area where the fire started.
As the fire continued to spread, residents of a 22,000-acre area in Placer County southwest of Truckee were warned to evacuate. As of Monday morning, the blaze remained uncontained.
This comes as a massive wildfire rages in California, scorching 5,000 acres and prompting evacuations in several neighborhoods.
A wildfire, dubbed the Lake Fire, left more than 300 acres of land charred in the Los Padres National Forest.
The Thompson Fire, seen here, broke out shortly before noon Tuesday about 70 miles north of the state capital, Sacramento.
An unidentified resident, pictured above attempting to evacuate, is one of more than 28,000 who have been ordered to evacuate Butte County.
The Lake Fire had grown to about 4,673 acres by 11 p.m., according to Los Padres officials.
Images from the scene show red skies and burning trees as firefighters race to bring the situation under control.
Post-fire footage also shows giant plumes of smoke rising from the forest as branches continue to burn to ash.