Out-of-control Santa Rosa Island wildfire burns 10,000 acres

A fire on Santa Rosa Island continued to burn out of control Sunday, blackening more than 10,000 acres and destroying two uninhabited historical structures as crews cope with the remote location, windy conditions and communication challenges.

The blaze was reported Friday on the Channel Islands National Park site about 26 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara and considered part of Santa Barbara County. Authorities said the fire started when a man ran his sailboat aground and fired off flares.

The Santa Rosa Island Fire was burning on the southeastern end of the island in rugged terrain with the remote island access and communications remaining challenging.

As of Monday afternoon, the fire had burned 10,029 acres and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire mapping efforts.

“Extreme fire behavior continues to challenge suppression efforts, including wind-driven uphill runs,” Cal Fire said on Monday morning. “Structures remain threatened, while coastal marine layer conditions and high winds are impacting air operations. Additional challenges include protecting endangered species, cultural and heritage resources, and overcoming remote island access and communication limitations.”

Firefighting activity has been hampered by a gale warning over the weekend. The National Weather Service had warned of northwest winds 20 to 30 knots (23 to 35 mph) with gusts up to 40 knots (46 mph) and combined seas of 16 to 21 feet when conditions are worst.

As of Sunday night, the firefighting force numbered 70 with the incident command shared by National Park Service and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.

“Additional fire crews are on order and expected to be transported out to the island tomorrow after the winds subside and boating conditions are safer,” incident commanders said.

On Sunday afternoon, the fire remained most active on the eastern edge, northeast of Sierra Pablo Peak into Quemada Canyon.

On the west side, the fire has moderated substantially but remained in the area of the South Point Lighthouse. The status of the lighthouse was unknown, officials said.

The fire was moving toward the northwest and was expected to continue to move northward as the weather shifted on Monday, federal officials said Sunday night.

Two uninhabited historic structures, the Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed on the western edge, and the Wreck Line Camp Cabin on the eastern edge, have been confirmed destroyed.

An additional storage structure was also destroyed adjacent to Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed.

“It’s important to note that firefighters are working closely with Channel Islands National Park staff to ensure the protection of cultural assets and sites, along with the island’s unique plant and animal habitat,” federal officials said.

“Six plant species are found on Santa Rosa Island and nowhere else in the world.”

With evolving fire activity on the island, federal officials from the NPS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the incident commanders decided to remove all non-fire staff from the island as a precautionary measure on Sunday afternoon.

Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit Helicopter 964 successfully evacuated 11 National Park Service employees from the island Sunday as the fire continued to spread.

“The crew safely transported all personnel from employee housing—threatened with being cut off by the fire—to Oxnard Airport, with no injuries reported,” said Karen Cruz-Orduña, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

“This swift operation ensured the safety of our dedicated park staff,” she added

The National Park Service has closed Santa Rosa Island to public use for day and overnight visitors until further notice.

Visitors with campground reservations at Water Canyon Campground have been notified via e-mail, Park Service personnel said.

The second largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Rosa encompasses 53,195 acres. It’s approximately 15 miles wide by 10 miles long encompassing 84 square miles.

This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Out-of-control Santa Rosa Island wildfire burns 10,000 acres."