Wildfire on Santa Rosa Island Burns Over 10,000 Acres

A wildfire on Santa Rosa Island has burned more than 10,000 acres and remains 0% contained, according to Cal Fire. The fire is the largest ever recorded on the island. The blaze began after a 67-year-old sailor crashed his sailboat into rocks near the island on Friday.

He fired an emergency flare gun and later carved large "SOS" letters into the scorched ground to signal for help. Coast Guard crews from Air Station Ventura rescued the mariner after he spent the night stranded. The same helicopter unit later evacuated 11 National Park Service employees from housing areas threatened by the fire to Oxnard Airport.

Strong winds have driven rapid uphill fire runs and limited the use of air operations, Cal Fire said. Coastal marine layer conditions have further restricted aerial support. Crews are also working to protect endangered wildlife and sensitive cultural and historical sites on the remote island, which has limited communication infrastructure.

A separate wildfire called the Sandy Fire has burned more than 1,300 acres in Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks. Authorities have ordered mandatory evacuations in those areas, and that fire is also 0% contained. No injuries have been reported from either fire. Officials said the cause of the Santa Rosa Island blaze remains under investigation.