Big warning for California rattlesnake after hiker airlifted to hospital for snakebite

A California woman was airlifted to a hospital after being bitten by a rattlesnake amid a spike in attacks.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was hiking in the Wood Ranch area of ​​Simi Valley on Thursday when she came across the reptile, ABC7 reported.

“Firefighters responded to a rattlesnake bite today on the Long Canyon trail in Wood Ranch,” the Ventura County Fire Department wrote on Facebook.

She reported a bite to her ankle and was flown to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

According to the department, this is the seventh victim in Ventura County to be bitten by the venomous snake since mid-March.

That far exceeds reports from last year, when the province recorded a total of nine bites for the entire year in 2025.

Thursday’s incident comes after rescuers rescued a female hiker who texted a loved one for help after she was attacked by the reptile on a trail in Southern California on April 12.

The Montecito Fire Department responded to reports of an injured hiker being bitten by a rattlesnake in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara around 3:38 p.m.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, was hiking in the Wood Ranch area of ​​Simi Valley on Thursday when she came across the reptile.

Close-up of warning sign about the presence of rattlesnakes in their natural habitat in Simi Valley

The unidentified woman had walked about three-quarters of a mile up the Buena Vista Trail when she was caught on her ankle, authorities said.

She was unable to call 911 due to poor cell phone service, but managed to send a text message to whom authorities described as a “loved one,” who then contacted emergency services.

The dispatcher told the woman to blow a whistle repeatedly to help rescuers find her.

Video released by the fire department showed about 10 emergency workers pulling the woman to safety.

Authorities said the unidentified woman was returned to the trailhead using a Stokes basket-and-wheel system — a type of stretcher typically used on wild terrain — before being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

California has already recorded three deaths from rattlesnake bites this year. In March, 46-year-old hiker Gabriella Bautista succumbed to snakebite venom.

Bautista was hiking in Wildwood Regional Park on March 14 when the venomous snake struck just before noon.

She was flown to Los Robles Regional Medical Center but died five days later, KCAL reported.

The Montecito Fire Department said it responded to reports of an injured hiker who was bitten by a rattlesnake on April 12 in Kings Canyon National Park.

An unidentified woman was attacked by a rattlesnake while walking three-quarters of a mile up the Buena Vista Trail and had to be rescued.

Gabriella Bautista, 46, an avid hiker, was hiking in Wildwood Regional Park when she was bitten by a rattlesnake

Rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. The snake is on a gravel path in a wildlife refuge in Southern California

Due to the spike in rattlesnake activity, the Ventura County Fire Department shared safety information to protect residents.

“Rattlesnakes are active this time of year and are often found on or near trails, in brush and around rocks and logs,” the department said.

‘Stick to marked paths and watch your steps, wear boots and long trousers, [and] look before you step over rocks or logs.”

They advised that if someone is bitten by a snake, they should remain calm, restrict movement and call 911, and not use a tourniquet or attempt to remove the venom.