California island fire linked to sailor’s distress flare scorches 10,000 acres

Fire on Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands national park becomes state’s largest this year and threatens rare plants

A wildfire that broke out on an island in the Channel Islands national park has become California’s largest wildfire so far this year, burning through more than 10,000 acres, destroying historic structures and endangering rare plant communities that conservationists had struggled to reclaim.

About six dozen firefighters have been deployed to control the blaze, which broke out on Friday, but their efforts have been undermined by strong winds. The fire is currently at 0% containment, according to a Cal Fire incident report.