(Bakersfield, CA) A Kern County woman was severely mauled by a bear in the mountains east of Bakersfield Tuesday morning. Allena Hansen not only survived the attack -- she even drove herself to a fire station to get help.

The 57-year-old Twin Oaks woman was immediately air-lifted from the fire station to UCLA Medical Center to be treated for injuries described as serious facial lacerations.

Hansen's friend August Dunning says he's really not surprised that she somehow survived the ordeal.

"It didn't amaze me that much that she got away from a bear attack on her own," Dunning told Eyewitness News. "But at the same time, I'm sure it was because we have the dogs."

Dunning says he and Hansen work on property they have on Piute Mountain Road. He says on Tuesday, she happened to go by herself -- with the two big dogs.

Just minutes after the attack, she was spotted by Bureau of Land Management Fire Battalion Chief Eddie Childs. He had stopped on Piute Mountain Road.

"She came down blowing her horn, she was moving pretty good. And she pulls up and I saw her face all bloody. And she jumped out and said she was attacked by a bear," he said.

But then, the BLM officer says Hansen got back in her car and drove down to the Kern County fire station at Piute Mountain and Caliente Creek roads.

Kern County Fire Capt. Curt Merrill says Hansen wouldn't say much about what happened.

"All she'd tell us was she was at a ranch up on Piute Mt. Road and a bear attacked her and her two dogs intervened. And evidently the bear attacked her dogs, and it was eventually able to get to her." says Capt. Merrill.

August Dunning says he later found the dogs. He says they have cuts, but not deep ones.

Just hours later, Kern County Sheriff officers were out in the area where the attack happened. Along with Animal Control officers with big guns -- they were looking for the bear.

By 2:00 p.m. Fish and Game officers also got to the scene to look for the bear. August Dunning says he and Hansen had not spotted bears on their property on Piute Mt. Road -- but he has a theory about why a bear might have attacked her.

"We had these big mountain fires and the mountain fires burned the habitat, and the animals are coming across the ridge and trying to find water and food. So they're getting aggressive," says Dunning. The area of the bear attack is at the edge of the recent Piute Fire.

Dunning says Hansen has a son who immediately went to the hospital in L.A. Bu Tuesday evening, a UCLA Medical Center spokesperson said they would not release information on Hansen's condition.

Dunning says he's thankful for the fire station being nearby, and thankful Hansen had the two big dogs with her.

"Hopefully she turns out OK," said Dunning. "I'm sure she will. Just keep some prayers for her, she could probably use it about now."

Now it is up to the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to track and catch the bear responsible for the attack.

The USDA will be aided by the California Department of Fish and Game. Trackers will rely mainly on dogs to sniff and follow the bear's trail.

Any hairs left behind by the bear will aid the dogs in getting a scent. Traps will also be used. And because the bear is now considered a public safety issue and trappers will be out looking for this bear until it is caught.

The animal will be euthanized once it is caught.