Adorable Rottweiler puppies happily roam wild inside a rescue helicopter after they were saved from a blazing California wildfire.
Trevor Skaggs, a member of Butte County Sheriff’s Office’s Search and Rescue team, and pilot Conner Smith were sent into the depths of the raging blaze of the 383,000-acre Park Fire on Monday to save a momma Rottweiler and her four pups, the law enforcement agency said in a Facebook post.
The owner of the pack of dogs was evacuating Cohasset on July 24 when their truck became disabled and they had to leave behind two adult dogs and four little puppies.
The owner gave police the location of the truck, but rescue teams were unable to immediately access the canine family due to the massive fire, which is only 14 percent contained as of Tuesday, according to Cal Fire.
Skaggs was dropped off about 1.5 miles from the truck’s location and ‘ran’ there, BCSO said.
He found the mother and the puppies alive, but ‘tired and thirsty.’ He gave them water and ‘bites from his protein bar’ to fuel them for the journey back.
Trevor Skaggs, a member of Butte County Sheriff’s Office’s Search and Rescue team, and pilot Conner Smith were sent into the depths of the raging blaze of the 383,000-acre Park Fire on Monday to save a momma Rottweiler and her four pups
The owner of the pack of dogs was evacuating Cohasset on July 24 when their truck became disabled and they had to leave behind two adult dogs and four little puppies
The papa dog was found deceased.
‘Trevor was able to get the five of them to follow him 1.5 miles back to the helicopter,’ BCSO said. ‘The puppies and their mother were then flown to the Chico Airport and are now being cared for by members of the North Valley Animal Disaster Group.’
It is unclear if they will be reunited with their owner.
Photos shared by the Sheriff’s Office show the little pups roaming about the helicopter’s cockpit, sleeping under seats, and embracing the safety of the aircraft after a long few days.
One of the pups even acted as a copilot as he sat on Skaggs’ lap throughout the ride.
Many took to the comments to thank Skaggs for his bravery and hard work.
‘Omg. This is making me tear up. My kids always ask about the animals. I tell them there are amazing people who go save them. You all are heroes,’ Lauren Gibba Gillespie wrote.
He found the mother and the puppies alive, but ‘tired and thirsty.’ He gave them water and ‘bites from his protein bar’ to fuel them for the journey back. The papa dog was found deceased
The pups and their mother look happy to have arrived safely at the Chico Airport
‘I can’t stop crying… This is so bittersweet. Poor poppa, but glad momma and babies were rescued. Livestock, domesticated animals, and wildlife must be so hot, thirsty, lost, scared, hurt, omg I cannot even think about it. This man is a hero!’ Andrea Santos wrote.
‘What a hero! You made a horrific experience better,’ Jill Paul wrote.
The Park Fire has grown to the size of Los Angeles since starting on July 24 in Chico.
It has grown into a raging 383,619 acres as Tuesday morning, making it the fifth largest the state has ever seen. The biggest fire was the August Complex in August 2020 that grew to over 1million acres.
The fire is burning grass, brush, mixed timber and dead vegetation, Cal Fire said.
More than 5,500 firefighters and personnel have been assigned to tackle the gigantic blaze, which ‘continues to burn very actively,’ Cal Fire said.
One of the pups even acted as a copilot as he sat on Skaggs’ lap throughout the ride
‘With the steep terrain, wind activity and many inaccessible areas, the fire is making uphill runs and spot fires continue to occur,’ it said. ‘Critically low fuel moistures and high winds have caused difficulty in suppressing the fire spread.
‘The perimeter of the Park Fire is 260 miles which means it has burned more than three times the surface area of Lake Tahoe.’
The fire has burned through 53,000 acres in Butte County and more than 330,000 in Tehama County. Both areas have evacuation orders.
California Governor, Gavin Newsom – who endorsed Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination – declared a state of emergency on Friday in Butte and Tehama counties and Pluma County for the Gold Complex Fire.
‘We are using every available tool to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires,’ Newsom said in a statement.
‘Stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities as dangerous fire weather conditions continue.’
The Park Fire (pictured on Monday) has grown to the size of Los Angeles since starting on July 24 in Chico. It is only 14 percent contained, as of Tuesday morning
The fire (pictured on Monday) has grown into a raging 383,619 acres as Tuesday morning, making it the fifth largest the state has ever seen. The biggest fire was the August Complex in August 2020 that grew to over 1million acres
A California sex offender was arrested for allegedly starting the Park Fire, the biggest this year
The proclamation will ease access to unemployment benefits, and waive fees to replace driver’s licenses and records, such as birth and marriage certificates.
A California sex offender was arrested for allegedly starting the Park Fire, the biggest this year.
Ronnie Stout II, 42, was caught pushing his burning car into a gulley in upper Bidwell Park near the city of Chico on Wednesday, the Butte County District Attorney’s Office said.
The vehicle then tumbled 60 feet down an embankment, sparking the fire.
Stout was reportedly seen leaving the scene by blending in with parkgoers as the fire quickly spread.
Authorities ultimately identified the suspect early Thursday morning, and took him into custody.
