Santa Rosa Island fire burns more than 10,000 acres, threatening rare plants and animals
Key takeaways
- A human-caused fire spread to more than 10,000 acres Sunday night on the south side of Santa Rosa Island, the second-largest of the Channel Islands.
- The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.
- The island is also home to animals such as island foxes, spotted skunks and elephant seals.
National Park Service employees are evacuated by helicopter from Santa Rosa Island amid a growing vegetation fire. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department) By Jack Flemming Staff Writer Follow May 17, 2026 9:51 PM PT 1 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
A human-caused fire spread to more than 10,000 acres Sunday night on the south side of Santa Rosa Island, the second-largest of the Channel Islands.
The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.