VIDEO: Man Rescues Rabbit From Thomas Fire in Ventura

santa paula fire, thomas fire

Santa Paula CERT Community Emergency Response Team Santa Paula fire photo posted by the Santa Paula CERT Community Emergency Response Team

Motorists were stunned and moved when a man approached the blazing Thomas Fire in Ventura County and rescued a wild rabbit from the flames. You can watch the video here:

“Witnesses say this man pulled over to save a wild rabbit from flames along Highway 1 in Southern California as the massive #ThomasFire spreads toward Santa Barbara County,” ABC News reported. The man’s action moved people on social media. “Unnamed man pulls over in the middle of the wildfire in Ventura to save a rabbit. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ There is hope for humanity,” wrote one woman.

The Los Angeles Police Department also posted a moving photo of an animal rescue from some of the other wildfires raging in California. This rescue involved a cop and a cat.

“For some it might just be a cat. But to others it’s a friend, a loved one, a companion. The #LAPD has a motto, ‘To Protect and to Serve,’ and our officers have been displaying that in many ways during the #CreekFire & #SkirballFire,” wrote the LAPD. Here’s that photo:

Several dangerous wildfires were burning in California.The Creek Fire was only 5 percent contained. “#CreekFire [update] off Kagel Canyon Rd., north of Lake View Terrace (Los Angeles County) per @LACoFDPIO is now 12,605 acres and 5% contained,” CalFire reported on Twitter on the evening of December 7.

Then there was the Rye Fire. According to CalFire, “#RyeFire [update] off Rye Canyon Loop, west of Valencia (Los Angeles County) is now 7,000 acres and 10% contained.” The Thomas Fire was the largest. “#ThomasFire [update] Hwy 150 and Hwy 126, north of Santa Paula (Ventura County) is now 90,000 acres and 5% contained,” CalFire wrote.

Then there was the Skirball fire that shut down parts of the 405 freeway and is near the iconic Getty Center. “The brush fire ignited around 5 a.m. CT near 405 Freeway and Mulholland Drive in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. More than 350 firefighters were on the scene with helicopters hovering above as the so-called Skirball fire was 5 percent contained as of Wednesday night” December 7, reported ABC News. The network added, “Authorities have shut down northbound 405 for an “undetermined period” as a result of the blaze and ordered mandatory evacuations for parts of the affluent Bel-Air neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.” About 46,000 people were facing evacuation orders as a result of the Skirball Fire, which had burned down at least four homes, according to KTLA-TV. The Getty Center was said to be in peril.

As for the most severe Thomas Fire, Cal Fire wrote, “The fire continues to burn actively with extreme rates of spread and long range spotting when pushed by winds. The fire is established on the north and east side of Hwy 150 and is also burning on the west side of Hwy 30. The fire has pushed northwest of Ventura and has reached the Hwy 101. Firefighters continue to work aggressively to protect life and property while working on control efforts around the fire perimeter.” A slew of mandatory and voluntary evacuations have resulted. You can see a list of them here.