Update: 18,379 acres destroyed in Santa Barbara County by Santa Rosa Island Fire, still 97% contained

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Updated: 8:25 a.m. June 29

First discovered: 6 weeks ago, 4:19 p.m. May 15

Initial location: South side of Santa Rosa Island, between Ford Point and South Point, Santa Barbara County, Calif.

Fire unit: National Park Service

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Santa Rosa Island Fire

Santa Rosa Island Fire initially started 4:19 p.m. May 15 on South side of Santa Rosa Island, between Ford Point and South Point in Santa Barbara County, California.

It has burned 18,379 acres after being active for six weeks. As of Monday morning, the fire crew succeeded in containing 97% of this fire. The cause of the wildfire is attributed to human activity, although the exact action that sparked it has yet to be determined.

Historic data

According to NIFC statistics for 2024, human-caused fires in California totaled 8,011, scorching 990,939 acres of wildland.

Fire containment

Understanding what 97% containment means

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 97% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 3% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 8:33 AM.