Channel Islands close after wildfire

Channel Islands National Park has closed Santa Rosa Island after a wildfire that began on May 15 spread across the island’s south side, according to the National Park Service. CAL FIRE listed the Santa Rosa Island Fire at 17,554 acres and 44% containment on May 21. The Coast Guard has said investigators are looking at whether emergency flares fired by a stranded mariner after a sailboat grounding may have sparked the blaze. The closure lands ahead of Memorial Day travel, when Channel Islands trips typically draw campers, hikers and boat passengers. ### Which part of Channel Islands National Park is closed? The National Park Service posted a closure alert for Santa Rosa Island on May 17, saying there was a wildfire on the island’s south side and firefighters were on scene. The park’s conditions page says the closure applies to Santa Rosa Island, while other standing alerts on the page cover separate access limits elsewhere in the park, including dock restrictions at Santa Barbara Island. (nps.gov) Island Packers, the park’s main boat concessionaire, said on its website that Santa Rosa Island was closed to day use and overnight use at least through this week and that campers with Water Canyon Campground reservations had been notified by email. The company’s homepage also said the island was closed until May 24. ### How large is the fire, and how unusual is it this year? CAL FIRE’s incidents page listed the Santa Rosa Island Fire at 17,554 acres and 44% contained as of May 21. (nps.gov) The same page showed the next-largest active fire in California at 3,535 acres, making the Santa Rosa Island Fire the state’s largest active wildfire at that update. CAL FIRE’s incident page for the fire said it started on May 15 in Santa Barbara County and directed readers to InciWeb for continuing updates. (islandpackers.com) National Park Service and local media reports have described heavy smoke and a fast-moving burn pattern on the island over several days. ### How did a boat crash become part of the fire investigation? The U.S. Coast Guard said a stranded boater was rescued from Santa Rosa Island on May 15 after his sailboat grounded on rocks near shore. (fire.ca.gov) CBS Los Angeles, citing the Coast Guard, reported that the human-caused fire was possibly started by flares fired by the stranded boater before he was rescued. (fire.ca.gov) ABC7 and KTLA, also citing Coast Guard officials, reported that the mariner was a 67-year-old man and that investigators believe emergency flares used to signal for help may have ignited the fire. The Coast Guard said the man was airlifted and was not injured. ### What does this mean for Memorial Day visitors? (cbsnews.com) May 25 is Memorial Day in the United States, and the Santa Rosa Island closure removes one of the park’s landing destinations during the holiday period. The National Park Service alert does not set a reopening date, and Island Packers said the island was closed at least through this week. The park’s conditions page remains the main source for island-specific closures, while CAL FIRE’s incidents page and the linked InciWeb page carry the latest acreage and containment figures. (abc7.com) Those are the pages visitors, campers and tour passengers will need to check before traveling to Ventura Harbor or boarding for the islands. (nps.gov)