Update: 18,379 acres destroyed in Santa Barbara County by Santa Rosa Island Fire, still 97% contained

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Updated: 7:01 a.m. June 1

First discovered: 17 days ago, 4:19 p.m. May 15

Initial location: South side of Santa Rosa Island, Between Ford Point and South Point, Santa Barbara County, Calif.

Fire unit: National Park Service

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Santa Rosa Island Fire

Santa Rosa Island Fire initially started 4:19 p.m. May 15 on South side of Santa Rosa Island, Between Ford Point and South Point in Santa Barbara County, California.

As of Monday morning, 18,379 acres of land had been destroyed by it. By Monday morning, the fire crew effectively contained 97% of the fire. Currently, there is no information available on the cause of the fire.

Fire containment

Understanding what 97% containment means

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 97% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 3% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 6:11 PM.