Update: Santa Rosa Island Fire covers 5,690.4 acres in Santa Barbara County, continues to grow uncontrolled

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Updated: 7:54 a.m. May 17

First discovered: 39 hours 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.

It has burned 5,690.4 acres after being active for 39 hours. By Sunday morning, the blaze remains uncontained and continues to expand. The cause of it is still under investigation.

Fire containment

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 May 17, 2026 at 8:17 AM.