Woman, 78, becomes California’s third snakebite fatality this year

A 78-year-old woman has become the third Californian to die from a snakebite this year, multiple news outlets report.

The Redwood Valley resident was bitten three times while walking on a rural property, authorities said. Family members transported her to a hospital, where she later died.

Authorities ruled her death accidental.

Reptile experts attribute this year’s increase in snakebites to environmental conditions. An abundance of food and a record-setting heat wave in March drew snakes out of hibernation earlier and in greater numbers.

At the same time, warmer weather brought more people outdoors, increasing the chances of accidental encounters. The California Poison Control System recorded 77 rattlesnake bite reports in the first three months of this year.

This year’s first fatal snakebite victim in California was 25-year-old Julian Hernandez, who was bitten by a rattlesnake while mountain biking at Quail Hill Trailhead in Irvine on Feb. 1. The second was a 46-year-old Ventura County woman who was bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking at Wildwood Regional Park on March 14.

The state typically sees no more than one snakebite fatality per year.

• Juliet La Sala can be reached at jlasala@washingtontimes.com.