Wildfire Burns Over 10,000 Acres on Santa Rosa Island, According to Cal Fire
Wildfire on Santa Rosa Island Grows to Over 10,000 Acres, Destroys Historic Structures
A wildfire, presumed to be human-caused, has spread across more than 10,000 acres of Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park, resulting in the destruction of two historic buildings, officials announced on Sunday.
The fire, reported by an aircraft and verified by the National Park Service on Friday, has been actively burning in the challenging terrain of the island’s southeastern region. By 6 p.m. Sunday, Cal Fire reported that the blaze had scorched 10,025 acres.
According to the park service, the east side of the fire has reached East Point and East Point Road, while activity on the western side has diminished near the South Point Lighthouse. The status of the lighthouse remains unclear. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service anticipates that the fire will continue moving north as weather conditions evolve.
The fire has destroyed two significant structures: Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed and the Wreck Line Camp Cabin, along with an additional storage facility. Firefighters and Channel Islands National Park staff are collaborating to safeguard the park’s infrastructure and the island’s unique ecosystems.
In a separate incident related to the fire, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 67-year-old man on Friday morning. On Sunday, eleven National Park Service employees were also evacuated by helicopter due to encroaching flames threatening their housing, as confirmed by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
"Helicopter 964 successfully evacuated 11 National Park Service employees from Santa Rosa Island today amid the ongoing vegetation fire," the department reported on social media. The helicopter transported the personnel to Oxnard Airport safely.
Seventy firefighters are currently assigned to the blaze, with additional crews expected to be deployed on Monday as wind and boating conditions improve. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation; however, authorities have classified it as human-caused.
