Incident commanders reported 56% containment on the Santa Rosa Island fire as of Friday, and have released all firefighting aircraft as conditions continue to improve.
The blaze has burned 18,379 acres, or about one-third of the island off Santa Barbara County’s coast.
It is the largest wildfire currently burning in California and by far the biggest in the island’s history since the Channel Islands National Park started recording in 1980. The next-largest fire on record is the 1997 Old Ranch Fire, which was 813 acres, officials said.
Most of this wildfire’s growth came in the first few days, driven by high winds that also prevented firefighting aircraft from making water and retardant drops.
The fire was reported on May 15 and apparently started after a man crashed his sailboat into the island. The boat caught fire, and he fired flares to alert nearby boats of his location. Officials said the cause is still under investigation.
“Crews have largely transitioned into the patrol and mop-up phase of the incident,” officials said Friday, adding that firefighters are extinguishing burning areas near the fire’s edge, breaking apart smoldering debris and preventing the fire from reigniting.
Air tankers and water scoopers have been released from the firefighting effort but can be recalled as needed.
The U.S. Wildland Fire Service and National Park Service are coordinating the firefighting response and have reported damage to the rare Torrey pines grove and several historic buildings on the island.
The longer-term impacts of the fire to the island’s historical, tribal and natural resources will take longer to evaluate, they said.
“Resource sdvisors continue to play a vital role in assessing the ecological and cultural assets throughout the island and are working side by side with fire crews to make sure impacts from firefighting efforts are minimized. The data and assessments collected by resource advisors during and immediately following an incident will be vital for park managers and researchers who will begin the process of assessing long-term effects,” federal officials said in a Friday update.
Park Closure and Fire Damage
The National Park Service has closed Santa Rosa Island to all day visitors and overnight campers through at least June 6.
Water Canyon Campground reservations have been canceled through that date, and more closures could be announced, park officials said.
The fire burned through the campground and damaged one of the site’s wind shelters, officials reported Thursday. The campground itself “remains in good condition overall,” they said.
Each of the campground sites has a wooden wind barrier to help shield campers from the winds that blow through the canyon.
Fire crews have confirmed that the South Point light station came through the fire undamaged, but two nearby uninhabited historic structures were destroyed: the Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed and the Wreck Line Camp Cabin.
