A massive wildfire has destroyed nearly a third of Santa Rosa Island in California’s Channel Islands National Park. The region is home to dozens of rare plants and animals, including some found nowhere else in the world.
The fire broke out on Friday and had grown to nearly 17,000 acres as of Tuesday night, making it the state’s largest fire this year, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It also includes 26%.
The fire has already destroyed two historic buildings on the island and forced the evacuation of 11 national park employees Sunday, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Visits to the island are also prohibited.
The fire also spread to Torrey pine groves on the island, according to the National Park Service. The Torrey pine is a rare and endangered native pine that currently grows only on Santa Rosa Island and in a small protected area near San Diego. Firefighters plan to inspect the grove for damage on Wednesday.
The Channel Islands are said to be similar to South America’s Galapagos, with their isolated islands allowing for the evolution of unique species. According to the Park Service, Santa Rosa Island alone is home to approximately 46 species of native or endemic plants and animals.
Cal Fire reported an “extreme fire outbreak” on Monday, but by Tuesday winds had returned sufficiently to allow an aircraft attack. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the fire’s spread was more limited than the previous day.
Officials said the fire was “human-caused” but was still under investigation. Kenneth Wiese, a Coast Guard Southwest District spokesman, told CNN that the National Park Service is handling the investigation.
The U.S. Coast Guard responded to the fire Friday and rescued a 67-year-old sailor whose boat had hit a rock, according to a social media post. A photo provided to CNN by the Coast Guard shows a man standing near the words “SOS” carved into the charred ground.
Thousands of people under evacuation order due to Southern California fires
On the mainland, multiple wildfires are burning in Southern California, forcing evacuations.
Evacuations have been ordered for the Bane Fire in Riverside County, which has grown to 1,456 acres and is 25% contained as of Wednesday morning. More than 700 people have received evacuation orders, and another 18,800 are under evacuation advisories.
CalFire spokeswoman Maggie Klein de la Rosa told CNN that four people were injured in the fire and taken to the hospital. Three of the injuries were minor, and one was a “trauma.” The department has no additional information regarding the injury.
Elsewhere in the county, two firefighters and a civilian were injured in the Verona fire. The firefighters were taken to a hospital, but civilians refused to be taken, Delarosa said. Evacuation orders have also been issued to 1,100 people who are at risk of fire, and an additional 1,407 people have been advised to evacuate.
Dela Rosa said he could not confirm how many structures were damaged or destroyed.
Approximately 44,000 people in Ventura County were under evacuation orders as of Tuesday evening due to the Sandy Fire. The fire spread rapidly early in the week due to strong winds and destroyed one home. As of Wednesday morning, it was 15% contained, or about 1,700 acres.
Approximately 900 firefighters are fighting the blaze from the air and the ground, according to the latest information from the Ventura County Fire Department.
Further south, in eastern San Diego County, the Tussil Fire spread along both sides of Interstate 8. The fire has burned 1,000 acres and is 25% contained, but firefighters were able to make some progress overnight, according to an update from Cal Fire.
