Update: 26% containment achieved for Santa Rosa Island Fire in Santa Barbara County

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Updated: 2:20 p.m. May 20

First discovered: 5 days 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 16,942 acres after being active for five days. As of Wednesday afternoon, 26% of the fire was brought under containment. The cause of this fire is attributed to human activity, although the exact action that sparked it remains unknown.

Historic data

Human activity led to 8,011 fires in California in 2024, according to NIFC data, resulting in 990,939 acres of wildland burned.

Fire containment

Understanding what 26% containment means

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 26% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 74% is still uncontrolled.

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 20, 2026 at 2:44 PM.