Authorities have issued evacuation orders throughout the region.
By Brie Stimson for Fox News
At least 163 people trapped by a fast-spreading wildfire near Central California’s Mammoth Pool Reservoir in the Sierra National Forest had been rescued by the Air National Guard as of early Sunday morning, according to a report.
Of those rescued from Mammoth Pool, Minarets, and nearby Cascadel Woods, 20 were hospitalized and some had critical burn injuries, emergency-response officials told Fresno’s KFSN-TV.
Dan Lynch, director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, told Fresno’s FOX 26 Saturday night that rescuers were headed back to airlift more evacuees in the overnight hours but he didn’t know the exact number.
“We’re uncertain of what that number is, that will be a surprise,” he told FOX 26. “We don’t know what the critical nature of the injuries are but we do know there are injuries with this group and some of them are critical.”
Those rescued were taken to an Air National Guard helicopter maintenance base by the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, FOX 26 reported.
Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said on Twitter that the California National Guard was performing a “major” rescue with a CH-47 Chinook helicopter airlifting people trapped by the Creek Fire.
Hokanson shared a photo from the cockpit of the aircraft as it was performing rescues.
“So proud of our National Guard pilots and crews. Thoughts with those affected by this unfolding disaster,” he tweeted.
Another 1,000 people were reportedly trapped within the campground but weren’t in need of immediate rescue.
Authorities have issued evacuation orders throughout the region.
Sierra National Forest spokesman Dan Tune said those trapped were told to shelter-in-place – even if it meant jumping in the water – after the only road out of the campground was compromised, according to the Fresno Bee. Read more from Fox News.
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