Puppies rescued from California's Park Fire by rescuer who ran nearly 2 miles

Dog mom and puppies rescued from Park Fire

Trevor Skaggs had to be flown into the area before he ran over a mile and a half to find and locate the mother and her puppies. After giving them water and bits of his protein bar, he managed to get them to follow him another mile and a half back to the helicopter.

COHASSET, Calif. - A mother Rottweiler and her puppies were rescued by a Butte County Sheriff’s Office search team member after their owner was forced to leave them behind when their truck broke down during evacuations from the Park Fire.

On Wednesday evening, as residents evacuated a remote area above Cohasset near Campbellville, a resident’s truck became disabled, leaving behind two adult Rottweilers and their puppies. The owner notified responders of the truck's location, but the area was not immediately accessible due to the raging blaze.

On Thursday, Trevor Skaggs, a member of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, was flown to the area by BCSO pilot Conner Smith. Skaggs then ran 1.5 miles to the truck’s location, where he found the mother and her puppies alive but exhausted and very thirsty. The puppies’ father was found to have not survived, the sheriff's department said.

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Credit: Butte County Sheriff’s Office

After providing water and bits of his protein bar to the mother and puppies, Skaggs managed to get them to follow him 1.5 miles back to the helicopter. The animals were flown to Chico Airport and are now under the care of the North Valley Animal Disaster Group.

Puppies rescued from Park Fire

A mother Rottweiler and her four puppies have been rescued by a member of the Butte County Sheriff’s search team, days after their owner was forced to leave them behind when their truck broke down as they fled the fast-growing Park Fire.

"It’s been a horrific few days for our community, and we are grateful to be able to share this amazing story," the sheriff’s office said.

California's Park Fire, now one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history, was sparked less than a week ago by a burning car pushed into a Northern California gully. As of Tuesday, July 30, the fire has grown to more than 383,000 acres as of Tuesday morning, making it California’s fifth-largest wildfire on record. The fire is burning in Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Tehama counties. CalFire reported the Park Fire was 14% containment.

Park Fire grows to over 370,000 acres

California's Park Fire, now one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history, was sparked less than a week ago by a burning car pushed into a Northern California gully.

Ronnie Dean Stout II was arrested on suspicion of starting the blaze. He made his first appearance in court Monday and was charged with felony arson of an inhabited structure or property.