Helicopters Rescue 11 Hikers, 3 Dogs Stranded After Storm in Ventura County

Choppers from the Ventura County Aviation Unit reached the hikers after the sheriff’s office and fire department were unable.

The hikers as seen from the Aviation Unit chopper in Los Padres National Forest on March 30, 2024. Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Eleven hikers and three dogs stranded in the Los Padres National Forest after a storm were rescued by the Ventura County Aviation Unit in the afternoon of March 30, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The Sheriff’s Office said water levels rose in the Sespe River, causing the hikers to get stranded in the forest, which is about 40 miles northeast of Santa Barbara, the nearest city.