News Release

Public Closure Lifted on Santa Cruz Island Fire—Containment at 70%

Date: April 2, 2018
Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

The Santa Cruz Island fire is now estimated to be 70 percent contained as firefighters continue to make steady progress. 

The crew of firefighters has been reduced to 26 personnel. Ground crews continue to monitor and tend to any potential hot spots left from the blaze that ignited last Tuesday. 

The public closure for the entire isthmus area of Santa Cruz Island has been lifted allowing all park concession trips by Island Packers to resume landing at Prisoner’s Harbor. Private boaters will be able to land at beaches that had been closed the past few days for fire safety. 

Santa Cruz Island, at 96 square miles, is the largest in the chain of eight California Channel Islands. The Nature Conservancy owns 76 percent of Santa Cruz Island and the National Park Service owns 24 percent. Together, they cooperatively manage this island as one ecological unit.