Channel Islands Fire Started Accidentally by Shipwrecked Sailor

In what sounds more like a movie than real life, firefighters in California are racing to save a grove of endangered trees after a shipwrecked sailor inadvertently started a wildfire on a remote island off the coast.As of Monday morning, the fire on Santa Rosa Island, part of Channel Islands National Park in Southern California, had spread to more than 10,000 acres, fueled by heavy winds that were battering much of the state over the weekend.The fire began on Friday, after a 67-year-old man crashed his sailboat on the rocky coast of the island.He fired emergency flares to signal for help, which inadvertently sparked a wildfire, according to the U.S.

Coast Guard.Two good Samaritans who were in their own boats reported to the National Park Service that they saw a vessel aground in pieces, said Kenneth Wiese, a Coast Guard spokesman.On Saturday, the Coast Guard was able to rescue the 67-year-old man, who was not injured, Mr.

Wise said.However, the fire continued to grow.Three dozen firefighters were battling the blaze on Monday, with more staff on the way, said Mike Theune, a fire information officer assigned to the Santa Rosa Island fire.Firefighters were boarding boats with their gear to head to the island, about 45 miles from the Ventura, Calif., harbor.As of Monday, the fire had destroyed three buildings and forced 11 Park Service staff members to be evacuated by helicopter from their employee housing.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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