An unrelenting wildfire has swallowed nearly a third of Santa Rosa Island, a small strip of land off the coast of California that is largely uninhabited by people but abundant with wildlife and plants, including several found nowhere else on Earth.
The blaze, which started last Friday, is human-caused but its exact origin is still under investigation, according to the National Park Service, which manages the island as part of the Channel Islands National Park. However, news outlets report the original ignition was likely due to a flare set off by a stranded sailor, who spelled out an “SOS” on the ground amid the burnt vegetation. The sailor was saved, but the inferno has torn through more than 16,000 acres—the biggest fire in California so far this year.
Officials ferried in dozens of firefighters to combat the flames, but strong winds and the island’s remote and rugged landscape have made it difficult. As of Tuesday morning, the fire was 0 percent contained and had passed directly through the island’s stronghold of Torrey pine trees, which only grow naturally there and in northern San Diego.
Additional firefighters arrived at the island today, but some resources won’t get there until midweek, according to a federal fire report.
