Man airlifted for rattlesnake bite amid high number of cases in Calif.

A busy year for rattlesnake bites in California continues, as a Northern California man was bitten on Wednesday, according to Sue Carberry, administrative chief for the Laytonville Volunteer Fire Department.

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The call came in Wednesday evening, Carberry told SFGATE, and the man was airlifted from Spy Rock School in Laytonville to a hospital in Willits for treatment. The bite was first reported by Redheaded Blackbelt.

Carberry said the man didn’t appear to have life-threatening injuries from the rattlesnake bite. She told SFGATE the department usually responds to “a couple” of rattlesnake bites every year, but it has seen an uptick this year.

The latest report comes after the state saw a dramatic increase in rattlesnake bites this spring, including three fatalities.

Emily Taylor, professor of biological sciences at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, said a record-breaking heat wave led snakes to end their hibernation early.

“The snakes became active much earlier than normal, and that’s when some of the bites that unfortunately ended in fatalities happened,” she explained. “… Since then, this snake activity has become more typical.”

Taylor stressed that typical doesn’t mean low risk.

“The truth of the matter is that people are likely to potentially run into a rattlesnake anywhere in California, you know, from spring through fall, and then also even possibly in winter,” she said. “Any season could be rattlesnake activity season.”

Rais Vohra, medical director for the California Poison Control System Fresno-Madera Division, said so far this year, 249 rattlesnake bites in California have been reported. 

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In 2025, the state recorded 418 for the entirety of the year. 

“We may be on track to have a little bit higher number of snakebites this year,” he told SFGATE. “[Or] maybe they just came out early this year, and then it’s gonna trail off later.”

Vohra said snakebites are not required to be reported to the state, so it’s unclear exactly how many people are bitten every year. He stressed people enjoying the outdoors this summer should take steps to be safe and always go to the emergency room if bitten by a snake. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has guidance on how to avoid rattlesnakes, including wearing thick boots, staying on paths, and checking rocks or stumps before sitting.

“Whenever a [rattlesnake] accidentally bites a human being, like on the ankle or on the hand, then all of that venom is designed to kind of break down our connective tissues,” he said.

Vohra said usually the damage is localized to the bite area, although other complications can occur, including issues with blood coagulation and loss of muscle control. Thankfully, Vohra said, people usually have a few hours to days to get antivenom, and every California emergency room should have access to the treatment.

“Most people can, you know, again get out of the hospital in less than a week, and then they can start whatever rehabilitation they need, and they usually get full function back of their extremity,” he said.