13 hikers reported missing in Royal Fire zone found, rescue underway near Tahoe
A rescue effort was underway Monday morning for more than a dozen hikers who disappeared in California near where a wildfire was burning in the Tahoe National Forest.
According to a late Sunday night post on X from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, 13 people ranging in age from 16 to 20 in "a large group" got lost hiking near where the Royal Fire was burning.
The forest, just northwest of Lake Tahoe, is located in portions of six counties: Sierra, Placer, Nevada, Yuba, Plumas and El Dorado.
On Monday morning, the sheriff's office posted an update a helicopter had located a group of hikers believed to the missing hikers.
𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭
This fire is burning in the Royal Gorge area. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is in unified command with @Tahoe_NF and monitoring this closely.
We will keep you updated as this progresses. pic.twitter.com/fDj2GS0UFt— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) July 8, 2024
"Search and rescue crews will be inserted to hike out with them," the department posted.
How big is the Royal Fire?
As of just before midnight Sunday, the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service reported the fire spanned at least 54 acres.
"Law enforcement is evacuating recreation areas near the incident," USFS-Tahoe National Forest posted on X.
ROYAL FIRE
Acreage updated to 54 acres due to more accurate mapping. Law enforcement is evacuating recreation areas near the incident. Cause remains under investigation. pic.twitter.com/3Z7bUqWLO4— USFS-Tahoe National Forest (@Tahoe_NF) July 8, 2024
The cause of the fire remained under investigation on Monday, park officials said.
This is a developing story.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hikers in Royal Fire zone reported missing near Tahoe, rescue underway