Woman bitten by rattlesnake at Romero Canyon Trail in Santa Barbara
MONTECITO, Calif. — A hiker was airlifted by Santa Barbara County Fire’s Air Support Unit Copter 308 after being bitten by a rattlesnake at Romero Canyon Trail, according to the Montecito Fire Department.
The MFD says a woman, 26, was bitten on her foot by a rattlesnake while walking her dog in a trail near Los Padres National Forest on Saturday morning May 12, 2023. She was a 1.5 miles into the hike when the incident happened.
After crews arrived and aided the woman she was hoisted by helicopter and was taken to Cottage hospital at around 10:15 a.m.
Montecito fire crews hiked down with the woman's dog and momentarily turned it to the Santa Barbara County Animal Services who later reunited with the owner.
While hiking down, the MFD says they spotted a bear on an adjacent trail.
"Bear sightings have been increasingly frequent in our community over the past few weeks, said the Montecito Fire Protection District. "As the weather warms up, wildlife is coming out. Please use caution while hiking, be hyper vigilant of your surroundings and maintain awareness of your location."
The Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue, Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit, Santa Barbara County Animal Services and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff all helped in the rescue effort.
