Hikers missing near Royal fire in Tahoe National Forest are found

A group of 13 hikers were located Monday morning after they went missing within the zone of the Royal fire in Tahoe National Forest, according to authorities.

The hikers, who range from 16 to 20 years old, were identified Monday morning by authorities from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, the agency said in a social media post. The Sheriff’s Office helicopter located the group and search-and-rescue crews were deployed to hike them out to safety.

“Right now, we are just in the pre-planning phase working with our unified command agencies,” Lt. Ty Conners said in a video update posted on Facebook. “The fire is still relatively far away. Again, we’re figuring out the fire behavior.”

The Royal fire, which ignited Sunday around 4:09 p.m. near Soda Springs Road, has reached 170 acres as of 8:30 a.m, according to a Sheriff’s Office update. An evacuation warning has been issued for five homes on Soda Springs Road.

“This fire is sitting in super remote terrain with steep, unforgiving cliffs and a ton of granite. This area is known for world-class kayaking and hiking,” said Nolan Hale, deputy operations manager for the Royal fire, in the video update.

More than 300 personnel are assigned to fight the fire, which still remains far away from populated areas, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Royal fire was reportedly caused by a camp fire, Fox40 reported.