Montecito firefighters rescue dog from steep hillside

MONTECITO, Calif. -- Montecito firefighters rescued a dog from a steep hillside over the Fourth of July weekend.

Over the July 4 weekend, Montecito firefighters responded to Hot Springs Trail on reports of a lost dog.

They came into contact with a couple who said they hiked to Hot Springs on Saturday evening with their dog when their dog ran off around midnight.

The couple searched for their dog on their own before calling for help at around 3 a.m. on Sunday.

Montecito firefighters arrived and hiked to the couple's location.

Firefighters were able to find the dog on a steep hillside.

They strategized a rope rescue system to safely lower the dog and firefighters down the hill.

The dog was reunited with its owners just before sunrise on Sunday.