SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's Department has positively identified the human remains found near Big Bear as those of missing firefighter Carlos Baltazar. Baltazar, a Big Bear Hotshot, was last seen Sept. 20, 2020, the same time the El Dorado Fire was burning in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Human remains found by a hunter last fall have been identified as a firefighter missing since 2020, California deputies say. The remains found near Cactus Flats in October belonged to Carlos Baltazar, a firefighter with the Big Bear Hotshots, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said in a March 11 news release.

Human remains found in Big Bear were recently identified as Carlos Baltazar, who went missing during nearly five years ago.