Santa Rosa Island Fire grows to 16,940 acres
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) When a 54 ft. sailboat name Wet Vette ran aground on Santa Rosa Island around 2 p.m. Thursday , the boat caught fire.
Without cell service the solo sailor on board from Long Beach managed to get a short video of the burning sailboat deck and mast.
"Wow, said the sailor, who wishes to remain anonymous, "That is a hot fire, I hope it doesn't start this Island on fire that wouldn't be good."
He then used marine flares to draw attention in hopes of being rescued.
The fire response began hours before a local boater reported seeing the flairs and the shipwrecked sailor.
A coast guard helicopter flew the man to Pt. Mugu on Friday
On Sunday, when it appeared the fire was threatening access to housing, Santa Barbara County Fire transported 11 National Park Service workers to the Oxnard Airport.
Despite reports about the sailboat catching fire and his burning flairs, U.S. Wildland Fire Service Public Information Officer Ana Beatriz Cholo, said the cause is still under investigation
"I can tell you that 16,942 acres were burned. It is 26 percent contained and we were approved sea water today, so we were able to use a Scooper with sea water and we also used retardant so we could protect high value structures, that was good news," said Cholo, " We also inserted another hot shot crew so this is a module with 10 specialized firefighters that are out there fighting the fire."
There are also hot shots from Arroyo Grande and firefighters from the Chumash Fire Department fighting the fire.
Many of their fire trucks are parked in the Ventura Harbor.
"There are more than 75 people right now on the island engaged in fighting this fire, challenges as you can image remain logistics," said Cholo.
That is where Island Packers comes in.
Island Packers Office Manager Karissa Smathers said they have been ferrying crews and equipment.
"We are taking firefighters, we have been taking them the past few days out to the islands," said Smathers.
They are also booking Memorial Day weekend trips to the other Islands.
"We are still running trips as scheduled to Anacapa and Santa Cruz," said Smathers.
The fire remains active on the north side where at least three structures have burned.
"The good news is the south point light house remains intact, so we are pleased about that, " said Cholo.
At the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at the Channel Islands National Park in the Ventura Harbor Center people can learn about the second largest island on topographical maps.
They can also watch a film narrated by Academy Award winning actor Kevin Costner.
Costner describes Santa Rosa's beauty and its rare grove of endangered Torry Pines.
On clear says they can see the Channel Islands from the observation deck.
Calvan Richardson said he has visited most of the Islands and hopes crews can save Santa Rosa.
"I am really sad about Santa Rosa Island, I don't have proof, but the way I understand it, it's probably human caused," said Richardson.
The Island also features Chumash, ranching, and military history, Island Fox, the sculpted sandstone walls of Lobo Canyon, sand dunes, beaches, plus seals and sea lion rookeries.
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