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Santa Rosa Island Wildfire Grows to 17,000 Acres With 0% Containment

The blaze threatens irreplaceable island ecosystems and cultural sites.

A stranded sailor started a grassfire on Santa Rosa Island after using a flare to alert rescuers, officials said.
A view of the Santa Rosa Island Fire in California, seen from the west side of the fire with the front facing east, on May 16, 2026. 
Gale-force winds helped a wildfire spread quickly across Santa Rosa Island, destroying two historic structures.
The Torrey pines hike near Becher’s Bay Pier on Santa Rosa Island in California. 

Overview

  • The Santa Rosa Island Fire, which officials mapped at roughly 16,000 to 17,000 acres Tuesday, remained 0% contained.
  • Investigators are reviewing a possible human ignition after the U.S. Coast Guard reported a stranded mariner fired rescue flares following a sailboat crash.
  • Firefighters reported the loss of two uninhabited historic buildings and evacuated 11 National Park Service employees as the park closed the island to all visitors.
  • The fire reached the island’s rare Torrey pines area, and initial checks found low intensity there with the stand still intact as crews plan drone imaging and a full effects assessment.
  • Gale-force winds and the island’s remoteness limited air drops and slowed the buildup of resources, and more crews, gear and specialized engines are now being staged as forecasts call for calmer conditions.