[Updated: Tue., May 19, 2026, 6:50pm]
A growing vegetation fire continues to blacken Santa Rosa Island, stretching northeast. By Tuesday evening, the fire had scorched 16,942 acres and was still 26 percent contained.
Due to steady winds and dry conditions on Monday , the fire remained active overnight. Officials confirmed on Tuesday morning that it burned through the island’s rare Torrey pines grove, one of only two places in the world where the trees grow naturally. The extent of the damage, however, is yet to be determined.