Major rattlesnake warning in California after hiker gets airlifted to hospital for snake bite

Published: 02:22, 5 May 2026 | Updated: 02:22, 5 May 2026 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 encountered the reptile, ABC7 reported. 'Firefighters responded to a rattlesnake bite off Long Canyon trail in Wood Ranch today,' the Ventura County Fire Department wrote on Facebook. She reported a bite on her ankle and was flown to a nearby hospital in stable condition.  This marks the seventh victim in Ventura County to be bitten by the venomous snake since mid-March, according to the department. That far exceeds last year's reports when, in 2025, the county recorded a total of nine bites for the entire year.  Thursday’s incident follows rescuers saving a female hiker who texted a loved one for help after being attacked by the reptile on a Southern California trail on April 12.  The Montecito Fire Department responded to reports of an injured hiker who was bitten by a rattlesnake around 3:38pm at Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was hiking in the Wood Ranch area of Simi Valley on Thursday when she encountered the reptile Closeup of warning sign about presence of rattlesnakes in their natural habitat in Simi Valley The unidentified woman had been about three-quarters of a mile up the Buena Vista Trail when she was caught on the ankle, authorities said. She was unable to call 911 due to poor cellphone service but managed to send a text message to whom authorities described as a 'loved one,' who then contacted emergency services. Dispatchers told the woman to repeatedly blow a whistle to help the rescuers find her. Video released by the fire department showed roughly ten responders carrying the woman to safety. Authorities said the unidentified woman was taken back to the trailhead using a Stokes basket and wheel system - a stretcher of sorts that is typically used in wild terrains - 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 venom from the snake bite. Bautista was hiking in Wildwood Regional Park on March 14, when the venomous snake struck just before noon. She was airlifted 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 bitten by a rattlesnake on April 12 at Kings Canyon National Park An unidentified woman was attacked by a rattlesnake while three-quarters of a mile up the Buena Vista Trail and had to be rescued out Gabriella Bautista, 46, an avid hiker, was trekking in Wildwood Regional Park when she was bitten by a rattlesnake Rattle snake coiled and ready to strike. The snake is on a gravel path in a Nature Preserve in Southern California  With the spike in rattlesnake activity, the Ventura County Fire Department shared safety information to keep residents safe. 'Rattlesnakes are active this time of year and often found on or near trails, in brush, and around rocks and logs,' the department said. 'Stay on marked trails and watch where you step, wear boots and long pants, [and] look before stepping over rocks or logs.' They advised that if someone is bitten by a snake, they should stay calm, limit movement, and call 911, and not use a tourniquet or try to remove the venom.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.