Santa Maria native seriously injured battling Dolan Fire

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. - A firefighter born and raised in Santa Maria was seriously injured battling the Dolan Fire near Big Sur, according to a GoFundMe page set up by the man's fiancee.

Casey Allen is a Los Padres Fire Captain at the Pacific Valley Station in Big Sur. On Sept. 8, he was critically injured while fighting the Dolan Fire which has been burning in Monterey County since August.

Allen, a 25-year veteran with the Los Padres National Forest, has been hospitalized with severe burns, according to Tina Nott, Allen's fiancee and organizer of the GoFundMe page.

Nott says Allen will be unable to immediately return home to Big Sur due to a lack of critical hospital services that he will likely need for the next year and beyond.

After being hospitalized, Nott said Allen's primary concern was the condition of his fellow firefighters.

"The day after this horrific incident, I was able to see him in the hospital which was the one and only time he could have a visitor due to COVID-19," Nott said on the GoFundMe page. "The first thing he asked me was, 'Is everyone on my team alright?'"

The GoFundMe page has nearly reached its fundraising goal of $5,000. The funds will be used to help pay for housing while Allen recovers, the page says.

To donate, click here.