fire on Santa Rosa Island within Channel Islands scorched tens of thousands of acres, the state’s largest fire of the year so far. Containment efforts are advancing as of late May, with crews working to control the fire, while structures including two historic buildings were destroyed. Access to the island was restricted to protect rare ecosystems. The fire originated when a mariner’s distress flare was fired, according to Coast Guard and National Park Service reports. Containment has improved with multi-agency coordination. No civilian or firefighter fatalities or injuries have been reported so far. Environmental impacts on the island's plant and animal life continue to be a focus of suppression-repair efforts.
A wildfire sparked by the flare of a shipwrecked mariner has burned around one-fourth of Santa Rosa Island and marks what officials called the largest blaze recorded on the island in modern history.
www.latimes.comThe satellite visuals reveal vast burn scars after blaze tore through rare ecosystems on Santa Rosa Island
www.theguardian.comFire on Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands national park becomes state's largest this year and threatens rare plants
www.theguardian.comA 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…
www.cnn.comUpdated: 6:05 p.m. May 26
www.sanluisobispo.comTrack the Santa Rosa Island Fire fire in California. 18,379 acres burned, 97% contained.
fires.cornea.is