Santa Rosa Island Fire, Largest Ever Recorded on Channel Islands, Nears 50 Percent Containment

The Santa Rosa Island Fire has now burned more than 17,000 acres and is 44 percent contained, according to a Thursday morning update by officials. Overnight, fire activity was significantly lower than previous nights, officials said. It was mostly limited to low-intensity ground fire and smoldering, and no new heat was detected, as humidity levels have soared. 

The fire erupted on Friday after a 67-year-old sailor from Long Beach ran his boat ashore the previous night. A video provided to KEYT on May 19 by the anonymous mariner shows the boat — a 54 foot-sailboat named Wet Vette — wrecked on the island’s shoreline. It is clearly on fire and sending smoke into the daytime air. 

“That’s a hot fire — I hope I don’t set this island on fire. That wouldn’t be good,” the boater can be heard saying off screen. 

The fire — the largest ever recorded on any of the eight Channel Islands — has now burned a third of the island, while officials say the “human-caused” outbreak is still “under investigation.” 

The boater — who fired emergency flares to attract attention — was uninjured and airlifted off the island by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, after the captain of a local sport fishing boat spotted the man waving and yelling on the island. 

More equipment was being shuttled out to the island early Thursday morning. Supply boats and passenger boats, such as the Island Packers, are continuing to make trips to the island daily to transport personnel and provide logistical support. As of Thursday, 139 personnel were assisting in firefighting efforts. 

Firefighters are currently concentrating efforts in the Cloud Forest Area, working south toward the South Point Lighthouse.

On the eastern flank, the fire passed through the Water Canyon Campground but the campground itself “remains in good condition overall,” according to officials. The only damage was the loss of one wind barrier — a fence installed at campsites to shield campers from strong winds. No other major infrastructure was lost. 

Just north of the campground, firefighters are using direct suppression tactics to stop the fire’s forward progress, and are monitoring existing containment lines to ensure they continue to hold. They are prepared to take action if “any new heat is found” and are constructing an additional containment line north into Cherry Canyon, officials said. 

Resource advisors are working alongside firefighters to protect sensitive species and cultural assets “as effectively as possible,” officials said. The island hosts many rare and endangered animals and plants, some found nowhere else in the world.

While the fire has already burned through the rare Torrey pines grove, it seemed on Wednesday that many trees remained intact — but any long term effects are still being assessed.

As fire activity diminishes, advisors will begin to discuss suppression repairs, which are immediate post-fire actions taken to repair impacts caused by firefighting activities and minimize secondary environmental effects such as soil erosion, water quality degradation, and habitat loss.