California island fire linked to sailor’s distress flare scorches 10,000 acres

A wildfire that ignited on Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park has become California’s largest blaze this year, charring more than 10,000 acres, destroying historic structures and threatening rare plant communities that conservationists had worked to restore.

Approximately 72 firefighters have been dispatched to contain the fire, which broke out Friday, but strong winds have hampered their efforts. The blaze remains 0% contained, according to a Cal Fire incident report.

The fire on Santa Rosa Island appears to have started after a sailor crashed his boat into rocks along the shore, leaving him stranded. The 67-year-old man fired at least two distress flares in an attempt to attract attention from passing vessels.

The tactic apparently succeeded, said Kenneth Wiese, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard’s southwest district. Wiese noted that people on two separate boats contacted the National Park Service to report a possible marooned person on Santa Rosa, part of the Channel Islands off the southern California coast.

The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter already in flight to rescue the man, who had spent the night on the island. According to images posted to Instagram by the Coast Guard, the man had carved the letters “SOS” into the charred ground. Officials transported him to a hospital in nearby Camarillo; he appeared uninjured.

“We do know that he launched some flares to try to get some attention,” Wiese said. “It paid off for him. We were able to get him out of there.”

However, the flares may have ignited a wildfire along the southern coast of the 53,000-acre island. Wiese said he could not confirm the cause but noted that the National Park Service (NPS) is conducting an investigation. The NPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The NPS posted a notice Sunday closing Santa Rosa Island to visitors while firefighters work to control the blaze. The agency evacuated staff on Sunday, according to the Mercury News.

The fire has reportedly destroyed two structures: Johnson’s Lee Equipment Shed and Wreck Line Camp Cabin.

The Channel Islands are known for high biodiversity, leading some to describe them as the “Galapagos of California.” However, Santa Rosa’s ecology has suffered from more than a century of uncontrolled grazing by livestock and non-native ungulates released for hunting. Both livestock and non-native wildlife were removed over a decade ago, allowing native plants to recover.

Six native plant species grow exclusively on Santa Rosa Island, according to the San Francisco Gate. The NPS also hopes firefighters can shield a rare stand of Torrey pines from the flames, the outlet reported.