Nearly a third of National Park island home to rare wildlife has burned in spate of Southern California wildfires
By Kate S. Petersen, CNN
(CNN) — A large wildfire has burned nearly a third of Santa Rosa Island in California’s Channel Islands National Park — an area home to dozens of rare plants and animals, including some found nowhere else in the world.
The blaze ignited on Friday and has grown to nearly 17,000 acres as of Tuesday evening, making it the largest fire in the state this year, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It is 26% contained.
The fire has already claimed two historic structures on the island and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park employees on Sunday, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. The island is also closed to visitors.
The fire has also moved through the island’s grove of Torrey Pine trees, a rare and critically endangered native pine species that now grows naturally only on Santa Rosa Island and a small preserve near San Diego, according to the National Park Service. Firefighters are scheduled to assess the grove for damage on Wednesday.
The Channel Islands have been described as akin to the Galápagos in South America, with their isolation allowing for the evolution of unique species. Santa Rosa Island alone is home to around 46 endemic or unique plants and animals, according to the parks service.
Cal Fire reported “extreme fire behavior” Monday, but winds improved enough Tuesday to allow aircraft attacks. The fire’s growth was more limited than previous days, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Officials say the fire is “human-caused” but still under investigation. Coast Guard Southwest District spokesperson Kenneth Wiese told CNN the investigation is being handled by the National Park Service.
The US Coast Guard responded to the fire Friday and rescued a 67-year-old sailor whose boat crashed into rocks there, according to posts on social media. Photos provided to CNN by the Coast Guard show the man standing near the letters “SOS” carved into charred ground.
Thousands under evacuation alerts from Southern California fires
On the mainland, multiple wildfires have prompted evacuations in Southern California.
In Riverside County, evacuations have been ordered for the Bain Fire, which has reached 1,456 acres and was 25% contained as of Wednesday morning. More than 700 people are under evacuation orders, while an additional 18,800 are under evacuation warnings.
Four people were injured in the blaze and taken to the hospital, CalFire spokesperson Maggie Cline De La Rosa told CNN. Three of the injuries were minor and one was a “traumatic injury.” The department did not have additional information on that injury.
Elsewhere in the county, two firefighters and one civilian were injured in the Verona Fire. The firefighters were taken to the hospital, but the civilian refused transport, De La Rosa said. Evacuation orders have also been issued 1,100 people threatened by the fire, and another 1,407 are under an evacuation warning.
De La Rosa said she cannot confirm how many structures have been damaged or destroyed.
In Ventura County, nearly 44,000 people were under evacuation orders due to the Sandy Fire as of Tuesday evening. The blaze spread rapidly earlier in the week, driven by gusty winds, and destroyed one home. It was 15% contained as of Wednesday morning and remains at around 1,700 acres.
About 900 firefighters are battling the fire from the air and ground, according to a Ventura County Fire Department update.
Farther south, in eastern San Diego County, the Tusil Fire has spread across both sides of Interstate 8. The blaze has consumed 1,000 acres and is 25% contained, though firefighters were able to make some progress overnight, according to a Cal Fire update.
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