Latest news with #ButteCounty
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hiker suspended 150 feet from a helicopter after plummeting into a waterfall in Northern California
A hiker who fell 30 feet down a waterfall and into a pool in Butte County had to be harnessed to the end of a 150-foot rope and pulled out by a helicopter over the Memorial Day weekend, according to authorities. The hiker, who was not identified by authorities, suffered serious injuries and could not be reach by ambulance in time, rescuers said. The man was hiking with friends near Feather River Canyon and Camp Creek Falls — near the site of the 2018 Camp fire — when he tried to take a photo of the waterfall and slipped, according to authorities. The hiker fell onto the granite rocks and over the edge of the waterfall, down a 30-foot drop into the pool below, according to Kevin Soukup, a spokesperson for Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue. The rescue team responded to the incident in Pulga and when they saw he had sustained serious injuries, decided to rely on a helicopter for the rescue. The injured man, who was conscious at the time, was put into a harness and flown while attached to the helicopter with the 150-foot rope, Soukup said. The man was flown to a landing zone near Cresta Power House and transferred to Enloe FlightCare for further medical care. The entire helicopter trip took between 30 seconds and a minute. Read more: This cliffhanger video from Riverside County has a happy ending "This is the riskiest type of rescue that you do," Soukup said. "Just by nature, helicopters are dangerous. Anytime someone suffers a traumatic injury, you look at the risk and reward and getting them out as quickly as possible via the helicopter was the right decision to make." The road getting out of the area is about three miles and an ambulance wouldn't have made it in time, Soukup said. Anytime there is a traumatic injury, if the journey is more than a 30-minute drive, you have to fly them there, he said. The rescue was a joint operation with Cal Fire and Butte County Fire. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CBS News
26-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
After losing two homes in wildfires, Paradise couple rebuilds and urges preparedness
Butte County couple who lost homes in Park, Camp fires gears up for another fire season Butte County couple who lost homes in Park, Camp fires gears up for another fire season Butte County couple who lost homes in Park, Camp fires gears up for another fire season PARADISE – The Baker family is no stranger to the rebuilding process, as they lost their home in the Park Fire last July. Before that, in 2018, they lost everything in the Camp Fire. "We went up and recovered what little we could out of the fire zone," Ken said. Their family never expected to see another home reduced to rubble-less than six years after the Camp Fire. "We've just been putting our lives back together, really," Ken said. Ken is an Army and Air Force veteran, working for years at the VA clinic in Chico while continuing to work while picking up the pieces. "Take advantage of the fact that people are willing to help you," Ken said. As they stare down another unpredictable fire season, Ken is leaning on his experience serving our country. "Everything in the military is teamwork, and you count on the person on your left and the person on your right to cover you when things are bad," he said. Fire crews are asking people to do what they can now, ahead of triple-digit days, like creating defensible space. "We did all of that up in Cohasset," Sylvia said. "And you know, when the fire comes, it comes. It won't matter what you have, what you don't have. It'll take everything." But for the flames that can't be stopped. The Baker's urge everyone to keep important papers close, and a bag packed. "It's good to have those things in to-go mode," Ken said. Ken and Sylvia chose to rebuild in Paradise once again. "The house that we bought is under the new codes, so it has sprinkler systems in it, and an alarm, and it's made with more fire-retardant materials," Ken said. They're using their loss as a lesson and a mission to help others. "When the opportunity comes, pay it forward," Ken said. "So, if you have the opportunity to help somebody that you know is going through this process, reach out and help." Ken and Sylvia are still navigating the insurance process and sometimes something as simple as updating their address can take months. They really stress the most important thing is to have important documents in an easy-to-grab folder if you find yourself facing the threat of flames.
