Rescuers Find Puppy in Ashes of Area Destroyed in Calif. Wildfires: A 'Welcomed Discovery'
Wildfires Rage Up the West Coast
Wildfires are spreading across the west coast
First responders stumbled upon a puppy while searching the wreckage left behind by the California wildfires.
As firefighter crews continue to combat the blazes out west, a team in Berry Creek, California, was scouring the ashes of a burnt property in the area when they came across an "adorable puppy" in need. According to the Butte County Sheriff's Office, the dog had suffered minor burns when rescuers found them.
Sharing photos from the scene, the authorities wrote on Facebook on Saturday that the "welcomed discovery" was "unexpected" happy news in their day.
"These last several days have been hard on our entire county and we thought we would share a positive story today. Yesterday, as BCSO deputies and members of BCSO Search and Rescue were searching through properties impacted by the fire, they made an unexpected and welcomed discovery on a large property in Berry Creek, this adorable puppy," they wrote.
The "sweet" dog — whom rescuers nicknamed Trooper — was taken to Valley Oaks Veterinary Center in Chico, California, for treatment.
"After doing some investigating, we found out that the owner of the property has several dogs and was not able to locate them all before needing to evacuate," noted the sheriff's department.
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Butte County Sheriff
Butte County Sheriff
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As of Saturday, at least 24 people have died due to the wildfires in California since Aug. 15, while hundreds of thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes. A total of 28 major fires are currently burning in California, according to Cal Fire, which noted that "nearly 16,500 firefighters continue working to gain containment."
"Red Flag conditions have returned today to northeastern California. The combination of gusty winds and low humidity brings potential critical fire weather through much of the week, and may affect firefighting efforts on the North Complex," read the Cal Fire report on Monday. "Elevated fire weather conditions are expected in portions of central and southern California due to very warm and dry conditions, and smoky conditions will persist in the much of the valley areas throughout the state."
This year, over 3.2 million acres have burned in the state — an amount that is larger than Connecticut, Cal Fire said in its report.
To help communities facing destructive wildfires in the Western U.S., consider donating to the following organizations:
The American Red Cross allows donors to direct funds to support people impacted by the fires.
GlobalGiving’s Wildfire Relief offers emergency funding to local efforts providing essentials to wildfire victims in need.
GoFundMe’s California Wildfire Relief Fund aims to “support a range of needs” by issuing “grants to individuals, organizations and communities that have either been impacted themselves or are dedicated to helping.”
The California Fire Foundation “provides emotional and financial assistance to families of fallen firefighters, firefighters and the communities they protect.”
