Pregnant Woman Lost In The Forest Gives Birth, Fights With Bees, Starts Bush Fire

A pregnant woman who got lost in the forest has been rescued - but not after an incredible three-day ordeal that saw her fight with insects and accidentally start a bush fire.

Amber Pangborn found herself going into labour last Thursday when contractions started while she was driving to her parents’ house.

But after deciding to take a short cut to get there through the Plumas County National Forest in California, USA, the 35-year-old found herself stranded when her car ran out of petrol.

Worse yet, she was in the middle of nowhere and had no idea where to go.

With nature taking its course, Pangborn gave birth to a baby girl alone in the middle of the forest in the back seat of her car.

But her ordeal was far from over.

Attracted by the placenta, bees and mosquitoes started to fly towards the area and Pangborn was forced to fight them off her newborn daughter, who she named Marisa.

She revealed: “I tried to not get them to sting her.”

For the next three days Pangborn, who had no phone signal, survived on just four apples, fizzy drink and one bottle of water.

Sensing that she could die in the forest, the new mum eventually decided to take action and start a fire in an attempt to get noticed.

Using hairspray and a lighter, Pangborn started a signal fire - that turned into a bush fire.

She said: “The whole side of the mountain caught on fire.

“I was looking at Marisa and was like, ‘I think mummy just started a forest fire.’”

Luckily the U.S. Forest Service saw the flames and found Pangborn and her daughter inside the car.

She said of her rescue: “I was just crying, I was so happy because I thought we were going to die.

“I was just so glad that someone had finally seen us.”

Fire crews battles the blaze - that had engulfed a quarter of an acre of land - while Pangborn was taken to hospital with her baby.

U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Chris French said he couldn’t corroborate all of the claims made by Pangborn.

He said: “I cannot confirm the day of birth beyond that she reported to us she had been there for three days.

“Also, her statement to us was that she gave birth at her vehicle within the forest.

“We did not witness the birth.”