By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office
Jul. 28, 2026 | 2:07 PM
Reading Time: 2 minutes
A fast-moving CAL FIRE San Diego helicopter crew rescued two Ramona residents after the rapidly growing Creelman Fire cut off their escape route on July 22. The pair were airlifted out without injuries as the fire increased to nearly 350 acres within hours.
Unit and Fire Chief Tony Mechum said the rescue highlights the versatility of CAL FIRE’s aviation program and the skill of its Helitack crews. He noted firefighters shifted within minutes from wildfire suppression to a life-saving operation before returning immediately to the frontlines.
This was CAL FIRE’s second rescue of the month. On July 17, a CAL FIRE ambulance paramedic team evacuated two people from the Thorn Fire in Boulevard.
Helicopter doing a water drop. The Creelman Fire ignited around 2:50 p.m. in brush near the 300 block of Creelman Lane and quickly grew, prompting the Sheriff’s Office to issue Evacuation Orders and Warnings for nearly 1,500 residents.
Within 20 minutes, two people unable to evacuate called 9-1-1. A Helitack crew reloading water heard the emergency call, diverted, and found the residents in a remote area with flames threatening their vehicle. The crew dropped its water load to create a landing zone, touched down, and pulled both residents to safety. They were then evacuated by ambulance personnel and reunited with family.
After the rescue, the helicopter crew returned to the fire and completed 50 water drops over 4 hours. Roughly 300 firefighters from multiple agencies supported the response. The Creelman fire was contained the evening of July 24 with no significant damage or major injuries reported.
This incident also demonstrated the expanded capabilities of the modernized Ramona Air Attack Base. During the initial attack, the base’s new retardant mix-plant loaded approximately 59,000 gallons of fire retardant for 16 aircraft, including air tankers, attack platforms and helicopters, two of which operated overnight.
The Creelman Fire is a reminder that wildfires can escalate quickly and residents must be prepared to evacuate.
Download a free personal evacuation plan template at AlertSanDiego.org, and sign up for mobile alerts through AlertSanDiego system, the AlertSanDiego app and the Genasys Protect app .
Yvette Urrea Moe is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office.
