Search crews find group of 13 hikers missing within Royal Fire zone in Placer County
PLACER COUNTY – The Placer County Sheriff's Office is praising work by their search and rescue teams for locating and safely rescuing a group of more than a dozen young backpackers found just two miles from the fast-spreading flames of the Royal Fire in the Tahoe National Forest.
The Royal Fire started Sunday evening in the Tahoe National Forest. As of Monday, officials said the fire had grown to 168 acres.
Sgt. Kevin Griffins with the sheriff's office said that when the fire broke out, they immediately began checking trailheads for backpackers when they found four cars belonging to the missing 13 young hikers, ranging in age from 16-20.
They believed the hikers planned to go camping on the other side of where the fire erupted.
"The group of deputies tried all sorts of techniques throughout the night trying to find that group of hikers," Griffins said. "We sent out our K-9 teams and our motorcycle teams and ground pounders down that Palisades Trail trying to find these two groups of people."
A search and rescue crew, along with a Placer County Sheriff helicopter, was out searching on Monday morning.
Around 7:20 a.m. Monday, the sheriff's office announced that their helicopter had located the missing group in a remote area of the Palisades Creek Trail with steep cliffs, very close to the fire.
Deputies say they did everything right, staying together as a group and hiking away from the flames. Another two-person hiking group was also quickly located and rescued much further from the fire.
Placer County is praising the work of their Falcon 30 helicopter crew that, within hours, located the missing group that had been unaccounted for overnight.
"Both groups were hiked out alongside our search and rescue team members and are OK. They were greeted at the end of the trail with cheers from loved ones," Placer County said in a social media update post.
Officials said the hikers lost cell service, their backup emergency Garmin device did not work properly and they could not contact parents or emergency crews. Both groups rescued knew there was a fire burning and were trying to navigate safely out of the area.
Placer County is also using this rescue mission as a reminder for other outdoor enthusiasts to take every safety precaution necessary and have a plan in place if you are going to hike or backpack during the heat of fire season.
Experts suggest always extensively researching the hike and the area you're planning to visit, bring plenty of food and water, with communication being the most important thing. Texting a friend the location of your car, a detailed description of your travel and hiking plans, and always staying aware of weather and fire conditions during your outdoor hiking trips.
The Royal Fire is burning in a remote area known as the Royal Gorge. Still, five homes on Soda Springs Road have been given evacuation warnings.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Officials with the Tahoe National Forest believe the fire started as an escaped campfire. However, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said that those claims have not been confirmed by their office.
