Santa Rosa Island Closed to Visitors until at Least June 30

VENTURA, Calif. - Santa Rosa Island, part of Channel Islands National Park, will remain closed to visitors until at least June 30 following the Santa Rosa Island Fire, a human-caused wildfire that burned less than 40 percent of the island.

Beginning June 5, a team of Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists will spend approximately one week on the island evaluating post-fire conditions and identifying immediate risks to public safety, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources.

"Although the fire is expected to reach 100 percent containment today, significant hazards remain across the landscape," said Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Ethan McKinley. "The temporary closure helps protect visitors, employees, and emergency personnel while allowing specialists to assess fire impacts and determine what actions are needed to safely reopen portions of the island."

Containment, according to park officials, simply means firefighters have established control lines around the fire's perimeter. Hazardous conditions can persist for weeks or months after a wildfire and may exist both inside and outside the burned area. Potential hazards include unstable soils, weakened trees, damaged infrastructure, falling rocks, erosion, and altered trail conditions.

The BAER team will include engineers, ecologists, hydrologists, archaeologists, and wildland fire specialists. Team members will assess soil stability, watershed conditions, infrastructure damage, threats to natural and cultural resources, and other post-fire impacts. Their findings will help guide emergency stabilization efforts and inform decisions about public access.

Overnight and backcountry camping within the southeastern quadrant of Santa Rosa Island will remain closed for the remainder of the 2026 recreation season.

About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America's most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.