The fire is the largest ever recorded in Santa Rosa Island history

May 19, 2026

Satellite image of the fire’s extent as of Tuesday afternoon. Credit: CAL FIRE.

Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is raising concerns that a wildfire currently burning on Santa Rosa Island—the largest ever recorded in the island’s history—is proof of the consequences of a plan to eliminate the deer population of Catalina Island.

A fire on Santa Rosa Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park off the coast of Southern California, has burned more than 16,900 acres since it began on Friday, according to the National Park Service. The fire remains 0% contained and has already destroyed two historic structures on the island. Officials announced that the fire was accidentally caused by the emergency flares used by a shipwrecked sailor who was later rescued.

For decades, Santa Rosa Island had a large mule deer population. However, they were completely eradicated by the end of 2011 in an effort to restore the island’s native ecosystem and protect its natural vegetation.

Today, Supervisor Hahn—whose district includes two of the southern Channel Islands, Santa Catalina and San Clemente—issued the following statement:

“We now know that this fire started accidentally, but the conditions that are allowing it to rage were deliberate: the deer population that used to graze brush on Santa Rosa Island was wiped out in 2011. Now we are seeing how quickly fire can move through heavy, unmanaged brush.

“The Catalina Island Conservancy has a plan to do the same thing on Catalina. Our own Fire Chief Tony Marrone has said that eliminating the entire deer population would increase the risk of wildfire on the island. Their plan is dangerous, and we are witnessing the potential consequences on Santa Rosa Island right now.

“Fortunately, Santa Rosa doesn’t have people living there—but Catalina Island has thousands! The Conservancy should be more reasonable and allow a small population of deer to remain and help protect Catalina from catastrophic fires like this one. I urge them to listen to the residents of Catalina and stand down.”

More on Hahn’s opposition to the Conservancy’s plan here: Using professional hunters to shoot and kill all the deer on Catalina Island opposed by Supervisor Hahn – Daily Breeze