Scientists are evaluating damage done by a major fire on Santa Rosa Island. The extremely rare Torrey pine grove may or may not survive.
There is hope that the indigenous Channel Islands fox was able to outrun the flames.
#santarosaislandfire
#channelislandsnationalpark
#california
https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/special-reports/outdoors/2026/06/09/fate-of-santa-rosa-island-wildlife-remains-unknown-after-fire/90432559007/
#santarosaislandfire — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #santarosaislandfire, aggregated by home.social.
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A fire on a small boat that ran aground on Santa Rosa in Channel Islands National Park caused a wildfire that burned one third of the island. Investigation reveals that the boat had run aground on another island a week prior and was found by Coast Guard to lack safety equipment.
#santarosaislandfire
#channelislandsnationalpark
https://www.independent.com/2026/06/04/new-details-emerge-about-leadup-to-largest-fire-in-channel-islands-history/ -
Santa Rosa Island Fire on May 20th, 2026.
(showrtwave infrared)
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Drone survey of the Torrey Pines on Channel Islands National Park / Santa Rosa Island after the wildfire. It appears the pines have survived
https://peertube.ai6yr.org/w/trNpA88KVUCu3nyZN5pL9A
#SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland #CHIS #NPS #TorreyPines #wildfires
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Perimeter shows the campground inside the burn area, wonder if they saved the picnic benches, bathroom, and the wind shelters? (can't cook dinner there without those shelters, the open ocean tears into the campground depending on the wind patterns). #SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland
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Latest perimeter for the Santa Rosa Island fire
18,378 acres
Posted May 22, 2026 1821PT (an hour ago).
#SantaRosaIsland #SantaRosaIslandFire #wildfires #NPS #CHIS #ChannelIslandsNationalPark
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"05/21/2026 - 14:34
Video from the afternoon of May 20, 2026 -
Based on initial assessments by firefighters and the flight imagery from an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) module today, the Torrey Pines on Santa Rosa Island still exist and remain largely intact. The fire front came from south to north, and appears to have lost energy after burning through the non-native grasses downslope of the trees. By the time it reached the ridge along Upper Torrey Pines Road it transitioned into a backing fire with lower intensity and moved downhill towards the ocean. This type of fire tends to consume the understory vegetation and leaves the canopy largely intact.
It appears that some small pockets of the Torrey Pines did burn with higher intensity within the larger stand. These pockets that sustained more damage were likely burned in short, uphill runs by the fire. This is typically caused by material like logs rolling down hill and carrying flame down, where it then burns up the slope with more vigor. This type of activity is common in areas with steep and rugged terrain like Santa Rosa Island.
The National Park Service has special firefighters, known as fire effects crews that will go to this area taking measurements such as specific fire severity calculations and observations. This is not just a single snapshot but will be part of long-term monitoring of effects to better understand fire in this ecosystem.
"#SantaRosaIslandFire
#SantaRosaIsland
#NPS
#wildfires #TorreyPines -
Santa Rosa Island Fire
Size: 17554 Acres
Contained: 44%5/21/26 1756
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#SantaRosaIslandFire
17,554 acres
44% contained#SandyFire
2,115 acres
30% contained#BainFire
1,456 acres
39% contained#FoothillFire
904 acres
50% contained#TusilFire
820 acres
73% contained#VeronaFire
600 acres
38% contained📸 Cal Fire / Sandy Fire
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Latest satellite detected wildfire hotspots, Santa Rosa Island. Wildfire hotspot south of Soledad Peak, 5/21/26 0845 #wildfires #SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland #CHIS #ChannelIslandsNationalPark #NPS
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Photos from firefighting on the Santa Rosa Island Fire -- water droppers were active apparently, good news. #SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland #NPS #wildfires
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#SantaRosaIslandFire
17,554 acres
44% contained#SandyFire
2,115 acres
22% contained#BainFire
1,456 acres
34% contained#FoothillFire
904 acres
40% contained#TusilFire
820 acres
55% contained#VeronaFire
600 acres
30% contained -
"Current Situation – May 20, 2026
Monday night the Santa Rosa Island Fire remained active once again primarily on the eastern half of the fire, specifically the areas along the Main (Soledad) Road and Telephone Road, south of Black Mountain. Firefighters were able to go direct and build containment line along the Telephone Road in the direction of Cherry Canyon. The fire was also active southwest of Black Rock, upslope from East Point Road as it gradually consumes unburned vegetation. Additionally, activity was observed downslope and southeast of Soledad Peak near Quinn Knob Road.
Today, more firefighters and equipment will arrive on the island, including a crew from Chumash Fire Department who have a special connection to Channel Islands National Park as Chumash Homelands. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service has also sent National Park Service firefighting resource advisors to the island who will be working in tandem with the Chumash to protect cultural and natural resources. "
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Wildfire map for the Santa Rosa Island Fire - May 20th. #SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland #wildfires #CAwx
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Current heat and smoke over Santa Rosa Island (Channel Islands National Park) looking a lot better today. Looks like not a lot of increase overnight. Satellite images as of 5/20/26 1225 #SantaRosaIsland #SantaRosaIslandFire #wildfires #CAwx
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#SantaRosaIslandFire
It looks like the rare Torrey Pines are no more. -
"...Size 16,942 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained 26%..." -
"...Tomorrow, additional firefighters and equipment will arrive on the island, including a crew from Chumash Fire Department who have a special connection to the park islands as Chumash Homelands. Equipment includes specially designed wildland fire engines, smaller than normal city fire engines, which means they can access additional areas across the island and use existing non-paved dirt roads. Known as type-6 engines, they were loaded on the park landing craft today, for transportation in the morning. The unmanned aircraft system (UAS) module will be focusing on the Torrey Pine area and doing an assessment of conditions as they make their way to that part of the fire. ..."
(Rest:
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/cacnp-santa-rosa-island-fire)#SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland #CHIS #wildfires #CAwx
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"...Along the fire’s main front on the main ridge of the island, water scooping planes dropping saltwater were used on Soledad Peak as the fire has crossed the Main (Soledad) Road there. This action helped cool the fire’s edge and slow progression further to the northwest.
On the west side of the fire, a crew was able to make their way to the South Point Lighthouse and confirm that the lighthouse is still standing.
On the south side of the fire, firefighters were able to determine that the fire has limited to no growth and have determined that area contained...."
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"...South of the Main Ranch Complex, firefighters worked along Telephone Road between Main (Soledad) Road towards Cherry Canyon. With support of aircraft, firefighters were able to use direct suppression tactics along this line. Tonight, firefighters will continue along the Cherry Canyon Trail adding containment line down to the junction with Main (Soledad) Road.
On the eastern side of the fire footprint, the fire is less than ½ mile south of the Water Canyon Campground and has crossed to the south of the Main (Soledad) Road. The fire has moved through the Torrey Pines area on the east side of the island and continues to have a northward progression – the firefighters plan to perform a damage assessment on this critical resource Wednesday with the assistance of UAS. Firefighters reported this evening that fire has not reached the Water Canyon Campground. Water scooping aircraft dropped water to the south of the campground today as part of the suppression efforts. ..."
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Santa Rosa Island Fire:
"....Current Situation – May 19, 2026
Today, with the arrival of additional firefighters to the island and favorable weather to use aircraft, the fire’s growth was limited much more than previous days. Containment has increased to 26%.
On the northeastern edge of the fire, the firefighters continued working on defensible space preparation of the structures in the Main Ranch Complex. This was done using a combination of hand tools and heavy equipment. Fire hose lays were established around critical structures with emergency water pumps brought in and connected to a 100,000-gallon water system.
Wind conditions improved to the levels that several aircraft were ordered and made multiple water and fire-retardant drops on the fire. This included the use of large airtankers such as a modified Boeing 737 that can drop up to 4,000 gallons of water or retardant in a single pass. Fire retardant was used adjacent to the Main Ranch Complex and park housing structures. ..."
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Santa Rosa Island Fire / FIRIS 5/19/26 1:14pm
#SantaRosaIslandFire #SantaRosaIsland #CHIS #NaitonalPark #NPS
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MODIS/VIIRS heat for the (5/19/26) #SantaRosaIslandFire
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Santa Rosa Island fire has burned 17,000 acres, approximatedly one third of the island. Officials say that it burned through a stand of rare Torrey pines.
The fire likely was started by a wrecked boat that caught fire, not flares, as originally thought.
#california
#santarosaislandfire
#santarosa
#nationalparks
https://www.independent.com/2026/05/19/santa-rosa-island-fire-burns-through-rare-torrey-pine-grove/ -
Hearing they are now anticipating loss of the historic structures and research station on Santa Rosa Island by tomorrow. 🙏 (not confirmed). #SantaRosaIslandFire #CHIS #wildfires #CAwx
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Santa Rosa Island fire. Off the California coast.
Open GISsurfer map:
https://mappingsupport.com/p2/gissurfer.php?center=33.961436,-120.104599&zoom=12&basemap=USA_scanned_topo&overlay=VIIRS_7_day,MODIS_7_day,State_boundary,Perimeter_WFGIS_current&data=https://mappingsupport.com/p2/special_maps/disaster/USA_wildland_fire.txt
#SantaRosaIslandFire #CAfire #CAwx #Wildfire -
Santa Rosa Island fire. Off the California coast. 14,520 acres
Open GISsurfer map:
https://mappingsupport.com/p2/gissurfer.php?center=33.960746,-120.109685&zoom=12&basemap=Open_Topo_Map&overlay=VIIRS_7_day,MODIS_7_day,State_boundary,Perimeter_WFGIS_current&data=https://mappingsupport.com/p2/special_maps/disaster/USA_wildland_fire.txt
#SantaRosaIslandFire #CAfire #CAwx #Wildfire