A group of 13 hikers were found Monday morning after they went missing in the Royal Fire area of the Tahoe National Forest, according to authorities.
The hikers were identified Monday morning and range in age from 16 to 20 years old, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post. A Sheriff’s Office helicopter located the group and search and rescue crews were deployed to get them to safety.
“Right now, we’re in the pre-planning stages working with the unified command organization,” Lt. Ty Conners said in a video update posted on Facebook. “The fire is still relatively far away. Again, we’re figuring out the fire behavior.
The Royal Fire started near Soda Springs Road around 4:09 p.m. Sunday and had grown to 170 acres as of 8:30 a.m., according to an update from the Sheriff’s Office. Five homes on Soda Springs Road were under evacuation warnings.
“This fire occurred in a very remote area with steep, unforgiving cliffs and large amounts of granite. The area is known for its world-class kayaking and hiking,” Royal Fire Deputy Operations Manager Nolan Hale said in a statement. said in the video update.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, more than 300 personnel were dispatched to extinguish the blaze, which remained far away from populated areas.
The Royal Fire was reportedly caused by a bonfire, Fox40 reported.
